Jeffrey Springs suffers injury in record-tying win

Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Jeffrey Springs. Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Jeffrey Springs' injury leaves Rays fans crossing their fingers despite record-tying win

By Victor Barbosa | Last updated 4/13/23

The Tampa Bay Rays tied the modern-day MLB record with their 13th straight win to start a season on Thursday, defeating the Boston Red Sox, 9-3. That's the good news.

A potentially devastating development came in the top of the fourth inning, though, as starting pitcher Jeffrey Springs exited the contest with what's been diagnosed as "left arm ulnar neuritis." The southpaw is scheduled to be reevaluated on Friday morning, but manager Kevin Cash said after the game that the 30-year-old is likely going on the injured list.

#Rays Cash said their hope is that Springs has only ulnar nerve irritation, and they will know more after he has imaging and sees a doctor Friday, but he is likely headed to IL no matter what
— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) April 13, 2023

The loss of Springs would be massive for the best team in baseball.

Through three starts, he has been the best Rays pitcher on an impressive staff and one of the top starters in MLB. He's now 2-0 with a 0.56 ERA and has allowed only four hits and four walks in 16 innings to go with 24 strikeouts.

In his first start of the season, Springs hurled six scoreless, hitless innings while walking one and strikeout out 12 before being pulled after throwing 81 pitches.

The news on Springs also comes two days after starting pitcher Zach Eflin was placed on the 15-day IL with lower-back tightness and hours after former first-round pick Shane Baz (another starter) was transferred from the 15-day IL to the 60-day IL. Another promising arm in Tyler Glasnow is also on the IL with an oblique issue.

The Rays will look for a record-breaking 14th straight win to begin the season when they face the Toronto Blue Jays at 7:07 p.m. ET on Friday on the road.

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