 The Oakland Athletics and Tampa Bay Rays are on the verge of completing a significant multi-player trade that would see left-handed pitcher Jeffrey Springs heading to West Sacramento. According to ESPN's Jeff Passan, the Athletics will receive Springs and another player, while the Rays will acquire right-handers Joe Boyle and Jacob Watters, outfielder Will Simpson, and the Athletics' Competitive Balance Round A pick in the 2025 draft.
Given the Rays' depth in rotation options, Springs emerged as a logical trade candidate this offseason. He is entering the more expensive portion of a backloaded four-year, $31 million extension he signed with Tampa Bay in January 2023. Springs is set to earn $10.5 million in each of the next two seasons, with a $15 million club option for 2027 that includes a $750,000 buyout. Over the first two years of his extension, Springs managed just 49 innings due to injuries, though he posted an impressive 2.39 ERA during that time. A Tommy John surgery in April 2023 sidelined him for most of the past two seasons. Springs returned to action last July and recorded a 3.27 ERA over seven starts and 33 innings before being shut down in early September due to fatigue in his throwing elbow. Despite the limited sample size, Springs demonstrated above-average strikeout and walk rates, suggesting he can be a valuable addition to the Athletics' pitching staff if he remains healthy. The Athletics are hopeful that Springs' skills and experience will bolster their rotation as they look to improve their performance in the upcoming seasons.
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