Athletics pull off intriguing Jeffrey Springs trade with Rays

The Athletics do not just have a new home. They have a completely new mindset. The notoriously frugal organization is finalizing a trade with fellow small-market MLB franchise, the Tampa Bay Rays, that will net them left-handed pitcher Jeffrey Springs and one other player, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.

Rays president of baseball operations Erik Neander is staying true to his team’s brand, flipping an impactful veteran arm for a group of young players who have yet to really leave a mark at the big-league level. The A’s are sending right-handers Joe Boyle and Jacob Watters along with outfielder Will Simpson and a compensation draft pick to Tampa.

Springs, a 30th-round draft pick out of Appalachian State University, is the embodiment of the Rays Way. He floundered with both the Texas Rangers and Boston Red Sox before morphing into a valuable starter in St. Petersburg. The 32-year-old quietly tallied a superb 2.46 ERA and 9-5 record in 33 total appearances in 2022.