Mariners rookie De Jong faces Athletics' Triggs

SEATTLE -- When Seattle Mariners manager Scott Servais was asked about the Triple-A pitchers his team has relied on this season with four starters on the disabled list, he cut off the reporter in mid-sentence.

"Let me clarify, they're big-league pitchers," Servais said. "They have our uniform on and are pitching in Seattle for the Mariners. Their job is to get big-league guys out."

On Tuesday, that task falls to rookie Chase De Jong (0-3, 7.85 ERA), who is scheduled to make his sixth major league appearance when he takes on the Oakland Athletics' Andrew Triggs (5-2, 2.21 ERA).

Servais does not believe that De Jong and the rest of the Mariners' current rotation, which includes Christian Bergman, Ariel Miranda and a to-be-determined starter -- all of whom began the season at Triple-A Tacoma -- behind veteran Yovani Gallardo, have been putting too much pressure on themselves.

"They're learning a lot," Servais said. "They're making pitches, but you have to make quality pitches when you need a strike. We knew there were going to be ups and downs. We're kind of behind the 8-ball in terms of experience."

Gallardo, who got the victory Monday as Seattle won the series opener 6-5, said "it's been a weird year" with all the injuries.

"We've just got to step up until the rest of the guys are healthy enough to join us," he said.

De Jong, who was acquired in a trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers on March 1, is set to make his third career start. He faced against Oakland for the only time on April 22, pitching four scoreless innings of one-hit relief.

"You're just looking for any info you can get," Athletics infielder Jed Lowrie said of opposing De Jong and Bergman in the final two games of the series. "With scouting now, you've got pretty good info, but nothing is like being in the (batter's) box against a guy. You have to go up and see with your own two eyes. You just try to maintain the same approach."

Added A's manager Bob Melvin: "At times, you can struggle against guys like that ... but it's better than facing Felix (Hernandez) and Kuma (Hisashi Iwakuma), who've had pretty good success against us."

Triggs has had a successful run thus far this season. The right-hander is tied for third in the American League in wins and is fifth in ERA. He is also 2-0 on the road, where he has yet to allow an earned run in 2017.

"I don't know if he has a secret, he's just throwing strikes and getting opportunities," Melvin said. "He's been a reliever most of his career but had a couple of situations where he pitched multiple innings for us (last season). The front office did a good job identifying he could be a rotation guy for us. He's got a full complement of pitches."

Triggs, who will be looking to snap the Athletics' four-game losing streak, said part of his success can be traced to knowing he was going to get a chance to pitch every fifth day as part of the rotation.

"My focus is just on outing to outing. It's nice to be starting, to get more innings and more reps," Triggs said. "I'm pleased with how it's gone, but I'm just trying to keep making pitches. I'm not really getting into the big-picture mode just yet."

Triggs is 0-1 with a 14.85 ERA in two career appearances against Seattle, including an 11-1 loss April 23. Triggs lasted just 4 2/3 innings in that game, allowing six runs on five hits with two walks and four strikeouts.

He has only one other loss this season.

"He's been working his behind off," A's catcher Stephen Vogt said. "He had a full offseason to get ready to start and came in ready to go and on a mission. He goes in with a really good game plan. He's one of the most competitive people I've ever caught. Sometimes if he doesn't have best stuff, we'll talk between innings and he'll think his way through the ballgame. He's very intelligent."