A's left-hander Eric Surkamp ended Spring Training with a quality start against the Giants at Oakland Coliseum, an outing that earned him Friday's start in Seattle. Oakland optioned Andrew Lambo to Triple-A Nashville on Friday and moved right-hander R.J. Alvarez to the 60-day disabled list to clear a spot on the 40-man roster.
"I had a mediocre spring, to my standards, until that last game," Surkamp said before Thursday's series finale against the Chicago White Sox. "Getting into a bigger stadium, in California, the atmosphere, all helped. My location and pitch execution was much better."
Surkamp replaces left-hander Felix Doubront, who went on the disabled list with a sprained left elbow.
Surkamp replaced Doubront on Saturday in the second inning against the Giants, the team that drafted him, and pitched seven shutout innings, giving up two hits and striking out seven.
"The short answer, yes," A's manager Bob Melvin said when asked if that outing affected the decision to bring up Surkamp. "At the beginning of the spring, we didn't see him in the rotation, but he earned it."
Surkamp will make his first start since 2013 with the Giants.