Jeffrey Springs DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Athletics left-hander Jeffrey Springs (elbow) isn't expected to have any workload restrictions almost two years removed from Tommy John surgery in 2023, according to manager Mark Kotsay. The 32-year-old southpaw is feeling like himself again and is excited for his opportunity with his new team in 2025. "Physically, I feel good. I can pick it up. I can let it eat. I can do everything and there's no second-guessing. There's no pain or anything I had to deal with for the last two years," Springs said. Kotsay expects Springs to make 30-plus starts in his first season with the A's after returning late in the year for the Rays in 2024 to post a 3.27 ERA and 1.36 WHIP with 37 strikeouts and 11 walks in seven starts. He was developing as a front-line starter with Tampa before his elbow injury, but he's also on the wrong side of 30 and has exceeded 50 innings in the big leagues just once.

The Athletics are acquiring left-hander Jeffrey Springs from the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday in exchange for right-handers Joe Boyle and Jacob Watters, outfielder Will Simpson and a compensation Round A draft pick, according to sources. It's the second big addition to the A's starting rotation this offseason after they signed right-hander Luis Severino to the largest guaranteed deal in franchise history. The 32-year-old Springs didn't pitch in the first half in 2024 while recovering from Tommy John surgery and finished with a 3.27 ERA and 1.36 WHIP in 33 innings over seven starts down the stretch for Tampa. Springs will be pitching in a minor-league park for home games and has never exceeded 50 innings at the big-league level, so the A's will surely limit his workload, limiting his fantasy upside in 2025. The southpaw has a 3.39 career ERA, 1.25 WHIP and a 27.2% strikeout rate in his seven MLB seasons.

Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash said that left-hander Jeffrey Springs (elbow) is doing better, but he will not pitch again in 2024. The Rays placed Springs on the 15-day injured list with left-elbow fatigue earlier this month. It just doesn't make any sense to push him back with the Rays out of playoff contention and based on the fact that the 31-year-old southpaw came back from Tommy John surgery this year. The Rays will shut him down now and have him focus on getting his left elbow completely healthy for spring training next year and the start of the 2025 campaign. Springs ended up making only seven starts this year, but he looked good in his 33 innings pitched, posting a 3.27 ERA and 1.36 WHIP with 37 strikeouts and 11 walks. As long as Springs looks healthy next spring, he'll be on the fantasy radar in all formats after posting a 2.46 ERA with 144 K's in 135 1/3 innings in 2022.