By Canadian Press

Athletics acquire LHP Jeffrey Springs in multiplayer deal with the Rays

Dec 14, 2024 | 1:45 PM

The Athletics are building a new-look rotation for their big move to Sacramento.

The A’s added to their pitching depth on Saturday, acquiring Jeffrey Springs in a multiplayer trade with the Tampa Bay Rays.

The A’s also received fellow left-hander Jacob Lopez from Tampa Bay in exchange for right-handers Joe Boyle and Jacob Watters, infielder Will Simpson and a competitive balance pick in the 2025 amateur draft.

The addition of Springs is another notable move for the A’s ahead of their first season in West Sacramento. They are planning to play at Sutter Health Park for the next three years before they hope to move into a new stadium in Las Vegas.

The A’s finalized a $67 million, three-year contract with veteran right-hander Luis Severino this month.

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The A’s went 69-93 this year, and then left Oakland after 57 seasons.

“I’ve been pretty open about looking for starting pitching since the offseason started and the fact that hopefully signing Severino wasn’t going to be the only move we made,” general manager David Forst said. “We’ve been exploring more options in free agency and having this trade discussion with the Rays probably since middle of October. It got a little momentum in the last couple days and couldn’t be more excited to add Jeffrey Springs to our rotation and also add Jacob Lopez who we see as another option for our rotation.”

The 32-year-old Springs had Tommy John surgery on April 24, 2023. He returned to Tampa Bay in July and went 2-2 with a 3.27 ERA in seven starts before he was shut down in September because of elbow fatigue.

Springs is slated to make $10.5 million in each of the next two seasons as part of a $31 million, four-year contract. There is a $15 million team option for 2027 with a $750,000 buyout.

Springs had his best season with the Rays in 2022, going 9-5 with a 2.46 ERA in 33 games, including 25 starts. He also had 144 strikeouts in 135 1/3 innings.

Forst figures Springs wouldn’t have been available via trade had he stayed healthy the past two years.

“The way he started out 2023, he looked like he was on track to be one of if not the best pitcher in the big leagues that year with his first three starts,” Forst said. “And then unfortunately he got hurt but was able to come back and make seven starts last year and pitch really well. It’s not easy going through that rehab and coming back and competing in the big leagues the following season. Those things were all factors.”

Lopez, 26, made his big league debut in August 2023. He is 1-0 with a 4.76 ERA and one save in eight career games, including two starts.

Tampa Bay is looking to rebound from a disappointing 80-82 finish this year. The Rays went 99-63 and made the AL playoffs as a wild card in 2023.

The 6-foot-7 Boyle was a fifth-round pick by Cincinnati in the 2020 amateur draft out of the University of Notre Dame. He was traded to the A’s in July 2023.

Boyle, 25, has a big arm, but he has struggled with control at times. He is 5-6 with a 5.23 ERA in 16 major league games, including 13 starts. He has struck out 71 and walked 45 in 63 2/3 innings.

Simpson, 23, batted .282 with 18 homers and 90 RBIs in 127 games over two minor league stops this year. He was a 15th-round pick in the 2023 draft.

Watters, 23, is 9-12 with a 5.86 ERA in 43 career minor league appearances. He was a fourth-round selection in 2022.

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AP Baseball Writers Ronald Blum and Jay Cohen contributed to this story.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Janie Mccauley, The Associated Press