SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The Athletics added another option for their refurbished rotation on Saturday, acquiring Jeffrey Springs in a multiplayer trade with the Tampa Bay Rays.
The A’s got Springs and fellow left-hander Jacob Lopez from Tampa Bay for right-handers Joe Boyle and Jacob Watters, infielder Will Simpson and a competitive balance pick in the 2025 amateur draft.
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 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.
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.
The A’s went 69-93 this year, and then left Oakland after 57 seasons.
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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