The Athletics and Rays have announced a multi-player trade that will see left-handers Jeffrey Springs and Jacob Lopez head to West Sacramento. In return, the Rays will receive right-hander Joe Boyle, the Athletics’ pick in Competitive Balance Round A of the 2025 draft, and two minor league players in righty Jacob Watters and first baseman/outfielder Will Simpson.
Considering how deep the Rays are in rotation options, Springs was viewed as a logical trade candidate this winter, as he was about to enter the more expensive portion of the backloaded four-year, $31MM extension he signed with Tampa in January 2023. Springs is owed $10.5MM in each of the next two seasons, and there is a $15MM club option on his services for 2027 that can be bought out for $750K.
For the first two years and $9.25MM on that extension, the Rays only 49 innings of work from Springs, albeit with a 2.39 ERA. A Tommy John surgery in April 2023 shelved Springs for the majority of the last two seasons, and he returned to the mound last July to post a 3.27 ERA over seven starts and 33 innings before he was shut down in early September due to fatigue in his throwing elbow. It’s hard to gain much data from a small sample size, but Springs still had above-average strikeout and walk rate, and if anything might’ve gotten better bottom-line results if it wasn’t for a .330 BABIP.
Prior to the injury, Springs seemed like yet another success story for Tampa Bay’s pitching development system. A 30th-round draft pick for the Rangers in the 2015 draft, Springs showed only a few flashes of quality over his first three MLB seasons while posting a 5.42 ERA in 84 2/3 innings with Texas and Boston. Dealt from the Red Sox to the Rays in a relatively under-the-radar trade in February 2021, Springs emerged to post a 3.43 ERA in 44 2/3 bullpen innings for Tampa during the 2021 season, and he then had even better results after transitioning into a starting role in 2022. The breakout year saw Springs deliver a 2.46 ERA in 135 1/3 innings (as well as a 26.2% strikeout rate and 5.6% walk rate) as Springs finally seemed to avoid the home run problems that plagued most of his career.
Springs was able to cash in on his big season with a life-changing contract extension, but his long injury layoff turned him into an odd man out of the Rays’ rotation. Shane McClanahan, Ryan Pepiot, Taj Bradley, Shane Baz, Zack Littell, and Drew Rasmussen are all lined up to get starts in 2025, not to mention whatever other young starters could emerge from Tampa’s ever-loaded farm system. With Springs’ price tag rising, many figured that the Rays would move his salary to a pitching-needy team with payroll space to spare.
If the idea of the Athletics being a “team with payroll space to spare” is still surprising to consider, the 32-year-old Springs is now the second splurge the A’s have made on their rotation this winter, after having already signed Luis Severino to a three-year, $67MM deal. Adding Springs’ contract brings the A’s a step closer to the minimum $105MM luxury tax figure required to continue qualifying as a revenue-sharing team, and to avoid a grievance from the players’ union. RosterResource estimates the Athletics’ current tax number at roughly $88.55MM, assuming the trade is completed.
Ulterior motive notwithstanding, trading for Springs is also a solid baseball move for an A’s team in need of rotation help. Severino and Springs are big upgrades to a rotation that struggled badly last season, and the newcomers now stand as the top two members of the starting five that includes JP Sears, Mitch Spence, and Joey Estes.
More pitching moves can’t be ruled out, since the Athletics still have a ways to go before hitting that $105MM figure. Severino notwithstanding, it can’t be an easy sell for the A’s to convince free agents to pitch in a minor league ballpark in West Sacramento, so trading for players (perhaps on unwanted contracts) has long seemed like a more logical move for the Athletics to both add payroll and bolster their roster at the same time.
Lopez shouldn’t be ruled out as part of the Athletics’ pitching situation in 2025, as the southpaw has already amassed 22 2/3 MLB innings with the Rays over the last two seasons. A 26th-round pick for the Giants in the 2018 draft, Lopez missed all of 2022 recovering from a Tommy John surgery, but he has a 2.99 ERA across 337 2/3 career minor league innings. That includes a 3.54 ERA, 27% strikeout rate, and 12.87% walk rate in 168 innings of Triple-A ball, with Lopez starting 37 of 39 games for the Rays’ top affiliate.
Despite a lack of velocity, Lopez has been able to miss quite a few bats, though this ability hasn’t manifested itself in his brief time in the majors. It could be that Lopez might’ve gotten more big league looks if he’d simply been on a team that didn’t have Tampa Bay’s pitching depth, and a fresh opportunity now presents itself for Lopez with this trade. Lopez (who turns 27 in March) figures to be part of the fifth starter competition in camp but will probably begin the year at Triple-A, acting as one of the first depth options in the event of an injury to a rotation member.
Turning to the Rays’ end of the trade, the inclusion of the Comp-A pick is particularly interesting, and it might speak to the league-wide interest in Springs services. The Competitive Balance Rounds are bonus rounds within the draft that award picks to 15 teams within the bottom 10 in market size and revenue, as determined by the league’s formula that factors in revenue, winning percentage and market score. The CBR picks are the only draft selections that are eligible to be traded, and while such trades tend to be rare, we’ve seen these picks involved in some prominent trades over the years. The Comp-A round takes place just before the start of the second round, and while the exact placement of the traded pick has yet to be determined, last year’s Comp-A picks were selections #34-39 in the 2024 draft order.
It is no small thing for a team to deal such a pick, especially when building through the draft is of particular importance to a low-spending team like the A’s. Still, getting at least two years of control over Springs was apparently worth the cost, as with the club option, the Athletics could have Springs for the entirety of their three-year stint in Sacramento before their planned new ballpark in Las Vegas is ready for Opening Day 2028.
As for the other parts of the trade package, Boyle brings a Major League-ready arm to the Rays’ pitching mix. Debuting with a 1.69 ERA in three starts and 16 innings in 2023, Boyle had a 6.42 ERA in 47 2/3 innings this past season, missing about a month of action with a back strain and spending the bulk of the year at Triple-A.
The 25-year-old is something of a classic case of a hard-throwing (97.7mph average fastball velocity in the majors) pitcher who can’t harness his stuff, as Boyle has posted elevated walk totals in the minors and during his 2024 stint in the Show. Fixing these control problems will determine whether or not Boyle can stick in the big leagues as a reliever or back-end starter, and given the Rays’ history of fixing pitchers, nobody would be surprised if Boyle ends up figuring it out in Tampa just as Springs and many other hurlers have done over the years. Boyle has two minor league options remaining, giving the Rays more flexibility in using him as a fresh arm to shuttle back and forth between Triple-A and the active roster.
Baseball America ranked Simpson 16th on their ranking of the Athletics’ top 30 prospects back in April, while MLB Pipeline has Simpson 28th in their evaluation of the team’s system. A 15th-round pick in the 2023 draft, Simpson has crushed minor league pitching in his two pro seasons and made it to the Double-A level for 18 games in 2024. Simpson has shown some good pop in his bat and he has a good approach at the plate — scouts like his “analytical aptitude,” as BA’s scouting report puts it, with the idea that Simpson can still unlock more as he explores more ways to upgrade his hitting. Defensively, Pipeline is more bullish on the idea of Simpson as a serviceable first baseman or corner outfielder, while Baseball America is more down on his glovework in general.
Watters was a fourth-round pick for the A’s in the 2022 draft, and he has a 5.86 ERA, 21.9% strikeout rate, and an inflated 13.73% walk rate in 152 pro innings. Almost all of this experience is at the high-A level, though Watters skipped Double-A to make one spot appearance in Triple-A ball last season. Working as both a starter and reliever, Watters’ numbers have been decidedly better out of the pen, so that might be the 23-year-old’s eventual career path.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan (multiple links) reported the trade and all of the players and picks involved except for Lopez, whose involvement wasn’t revealed until the deal was officially announced.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
SecondDoug
If only we had all 30 organizations actively trying to field competitive teams at the same time, not just when they’re afraid of their revenue sharing being pulled again.
This one belongs to the Reds
If all 30 teams had the same resources, there would be a better chance of that.
old elpaso
At this moment, that is a certainty
WadeBoggsWildRide
If we lived in a perfect world where scarcity of resources didn’t exist all 30 teams would be closer to that parity. Unfortunately this isn’t Star Trek where anything your heart desires can materialize before your eyes.
SecondDoug
Every organization has the resources to have a minimum $110M payroll every season. Any organization under that is just stuffing their pockets. No one is talking about Star Trek.
geno711
As others have said, there are clear inequities.
Forbes publishes the inequities year after year.
Top 4: Yanks, Dodgers, Red Sox, Cubs
Bottom 4: Rays, Royals, A’s, Marlins
MLB Top 100 Commenter
Sacramento A’s taking advantage of Houston’s regression.
Go, Sacramento A’s!
RAS
As a long time A’s fan. I’m glad they aren’t the “Sacramento A’s”. They are simply know as “The Athletics”. I’m sure you know that though.
SweetBabyRayKingsThickThighs
Jeffrey Springs punching air right now.
sad tormented neglected mariners fan
Off to Sacramento with you!
But it was either constantly getting rain delays in the new triple a stadium for Tampa or going to Sacramento
houstondodgerblue
The reality of this is striking!
boblowlaw2
Tampa is not a AAA stadium.
geno711
They will actually be playing in a singe A stadium this year.
bwmiller79
Gonna be nice pitching in Sacramento, nice weather, quiet calm ballpark, as opposed to pitching in Tampa this season, humid and hot. A’s are looking good.
BaseballClassic1985
A lot of pitchers like hot and humid weather. You get nice and loose and your persperation gives you a nice grip on the ball.
bwmiller79
I have been in Tampa for two summers, in ’23 it was the hottest summer in recorded history. I was outside everyday from sun up to sun down, my arms and face would get puffy like I was water logged which was odd because I was sweating terribly. It was like my body was baking.
They will probably play a lot of 6:05 and 7:05 games, it doesn’t rain as much as they let on, an hour or two in the afternoon, evenings are nice. But if you have to get in some BP or have to get in some field work before the game, going to have to be in that midday heat. It’s smothering.
BaseballClassic1985
No doubt it’s hot as hell in Tampa
geno711
I’ve been in Tampa since ’82, and you’re spot on about the midday heat—it’s brutal. But what really gets you isn’t just the temperature; it’s that relentless humidity. There are stretches in the summer where it rains almost daily, and while the rain itself doesn’t last long, it leaves behind humidity levels that hang at 97% or more.
For players, especially those grinding through 5 days straight, that kind of environment can be a game-changer. Recovery gets tougher because your body doesn’t cool down like it should. Add in the field work, BP, and pre-game routines, and it’s not just smothering—it’s like playing under a wet blanket. Tampa baseball this year will be a unique challenge, no doubt.
Baseballisthebest
Have you been to Sacramento in the summer? Last time I was there representing a client at a legislative session it was 110 degrees for 4 straight days from July 6 to 9th. I was there in late September in 2023 for a conference and it hit 100 several days in a row.
From late May to early October it will rarely get below the mid 90s.
Its cooler than Scottsdale by 5-6 degrees in summer but then they don’t play baseball in Scottsdale in the summer.
bwmiller79
I do not have the Sacramento weather registered in my memory bank, I assumed it was similar to the bay area but from the sound of it I have assumed incorrectly.
inkstainedscribe
Yes, it’s in a river delta surrounded by desert. So it’s hot. But not as oppressively humid as Tampa.
SFGRab
There is a reason that Mark Twain said “The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco”. An exaggeration to be sure, and there are some really nice summer days by the bay, but inland central valley California summers can be brutally hot….huge difference weather wise.
ccahoe02
anyone have any insight into Boyle or Watters?
Gwynning
Yes.
stephaniebpetagno
No.
DarkSide830
Maybe.
Flanster
I’m not sure
DrDick
Both enh.
Longtimecoming
Not sure?
BaseballClassic1985
YouTube is your friend
Yankee Clipper
I think the Watters Boy was played by Adam Sandler in that movie.
ccahoe02
You all are the worst
BaseballClassic1985
I wasn’t being a wise ass. Go to YouTube, search whatever player you want to see followed by ‘highlights’ and you can usually find all kinds of videos about them.
ccahoe02
That wasn’t directed at you specifically. Moreso the “not sure” responses. Was just curious if someone had watched them firsthand
Motor City Beach Bum
I think Boyle was a second rounder a couple years ago? He looks like the next Tampa Bay version of Springs or Littell. Probably see some Cy Young votes for him within 2 years the way things go with TB 😉
For Love of the Game
What I’m thinking too, MCBB! Joe Boyle for Cy Young 2026!
Motor City Beach Bum
The Tigers found out the hard way For Love of the Game…never trade with TB! Paredes getting moved this week is a great reminder.
Superstar Prospect Wander Javier
Boyle is 6’8″ and throws 100. Rays will turn him into either Glassnow or Fairbanks.
Watters is a two pitch relief prospects but his fastball/slider combo is really good. Could turn into a high leverage arm in a year or two.
Simpson can rake but is a 1B only type player. Don’t know why they list him as an outfielder. He is a Luke Voit type.
Local
Sort of. I have a season ticket for the Las Vegas Aviators. Boyle’s control could vary wildly from game to game. It was never easy when he came into a game. He could come into a game with a 5 run lead, walk the first three batters, then groove one, and suddenly it was a different game. Other times, he was untouchable. For 4 innings. And then…. With Boyle, it could be “No! No! N0!… Oh, thank gawd”, or “Yeah! Yeah! …. Oh, crap”.
HalosHeavenJJ
The A’s might be quietly building something. They played good baseball over the second half and have sone good youngsters.
Walk Off IBB
The A’s are usually only bad for a few years at a time. They’re about due for a 97-win season.
avenger65
A’s fans must be both happy and amazed considering how cheap Fisher has been. As a White Sox fan, I’m envious of the A’s aggressiveness in seriously building a competitive team. That’s never going to happen here until ownership changes.
BITA
The White Sox are doing it right. The Athletics aren’t building anything competitive or sustainable.
Baseballisthebest
Fisher is not spending money because he wants to. He is being forced to by the CBA. He has to spend 150% of revenue sharing on player payroll.
xpensivewinos
You’re wrong. The A’s were damn competitive in the second half with a solid core of good players…….in a division that’s getting weaker by the day. The White Sox will be garbage for the foreseeable future.
This one belongs to the Reds
Boyle had a short stay in Oakland.
ElGaupo77
A’s need payroll. Helps if players are decent. Sorings was pre injury
Bart Harley Jarvis
You gotta love those Sacramento A’s from Sacramento!
oaklandfan22
Building something
BronxBombers23
A‘s > Astros
old elpaso
At this moment, that is a certainty
ccahoe02
thought the rays would get a better return for springs than a lukewarm turd salad
Fernando P
@ccache – They got rid of the salary, Simpson is a top 30 prospect and Boyle were top 30 a couple years ago….and they get the Comp Pick. Depends on the other player that A’s get.
I would have given them Stroman, #20 RP Yoendrys Gomez and another guy for the draft pick alone. They need to up the payroll and Yankees could use that money elsewhere.
fljay73
More about the future than the immediate for the Rays.
DrDick
Looks like the future is… suck.
fljay73
Rays do good with their trades.
alwaysgo4two
Springs was special pre injury. He’s gone because he’s making too much and the Rays are pitching loaded. Why another 1b when they have Tre Morgan and Xavier Isaac close. Are they moving one?
Rexhudler86
@alwaysgo4two. Boyle and Watters seems like the players the rays want. Former 4th and 5th round picks.
gwynnpadreshof2007
Springs, was only good one full season, is injury prone and wrong side of 30. Boyle has a higher upside.
SammyJ
He will turn into a compulsive gambler when they move to Vegas. They all will. Just like the Raiders and their dwi problem. Money and Vegas don’t mix
Reyday
Springs will be long gone before the A’s move to Vegas in 2028.
SammyJ
Maybe but he can still go to Alumni events The whole team will be in rehab eventually
wvsteve
Until the players and owners can agree a salary structure built on equal competition instead of personal interest it will always be this way
Mynameisnoname
I’m sure the accomodations aren’t great, but Sacramento plays as a favorable pitchers park.
dano62
That would be unique for a PCL park…
Mynameisnoname
PCL parks are hitters haven because of the high elevation and dry air out West/in the desert. Sacramento is closer to sea level with more moisture. The ball doesn’t carry well in the Bay Area, e.g. San Fran, Oakland etc.
I live south of Reno and the Truckee/Sacramento area receives massive storms while we are in the Sierra rain shadow, a.k.a. a dry desert.
The biggest difference will be no foul territory like the A’s are accustomed too.
Tell me you live back East without telling me you live back East.
showmebb
Why am I no longer getting notifications from the app? Come on phone I need my trade rumors ASAP.
SammyJ
Post your number and one of us will call you with news
dano62
Boyle moves up fantasy board as a sleeper, depending how Steinbrenner plays…
Tdat1979
The A’s are trying to sell out every home game this year.
MLB Top 100 Commenter
Sacramento A’s will sell out every game when the temperature is under 100 degrees Farenheit
Tigersin2050
Sorry, Jeffrey, even a trade couldn’t get you out of a AAA ballpark.
Zerbs63
lol he is going to be playing in a minor league stadium or a spring training stadium.
Baseballisthebest
A’s taking on a high risk contract desperately trying to get payroll up high enough that they don’t get their revenue sharing taken away. Just $20 million more to go.
G.M. Ima Scapegoat
The question is if they fall out of contention and trade off these contracts, thereby reducing payroll at seasons end, will they be penalized? They could easily make the argument they a prioritizing the team by acquiring young talent. It seems like they could be creating a loophole by acquiring and signing players to hit the threshold but spinning them off at the deadline.
As a fan I don’t think it’s an issue in that scenario, say if they sign someone for example like Goldschmidt to idk a 1yr $12 million contract with the understanding we will likely trade you to a contending team for prospects.
bwmiller79
I’d say a decent haul for the Rays but a real good trade for the A’s who pick up 3 yrs / 36M of Jeffrey Springs, a nice lefty who has pitched some good innings before hitting the IR with the elbow issues. Pitched a little in ’24 and looked fairly good, but had some pain in the elbow, believe they had to shut him down. Injury probably a bit of a concern but should be good to go this year.
Had a feeling the Rays would be unloading some pitching, they probably have a righty to deal too.
Bucket Number Six
The Rays look at their payroll and say “EIGHT FIGURES! TRADE HIM!”.
Moneyballer
So why would the Rays trade for more pitching then?! They must really want that Comp pick!
prodave
Rays always want more pitching. But why trade for another 1b prospect?
Mikenmn
A’s (did they keep the name, or did they auction it off?) are spending other people’s money to do this. For all those who bemoan the way the system works for low revenue teams…well, here it is. $75M gift with a string attached–gotta be spent.
MLB Top 100 Commenter
The ultimate humiliation for Houston would be to trade Framber Valdez to the Sacramento A’s.
sergefunction
If the A’s so badly need an instant payroll increase without trying to win, Javy Baez.
The_Porcupine
First thought was i wish the orioles would have gotten to springs. Then i remembered how the rays typically win these kinds of trades, so im glad we fidnt trade any prospects
GarryHarris
The As will be better than half the other teams this season with a fraction of their payrolls.
Dumpster Divin Theo
And yet Brad Pitt too afraid to look
Dumpster Divin Theo
Close but no hand grenade. Breaking news: I’m close to procuring Chalupa
SammyJ
Ugliest uniforms in baseball. They’re best listened to on the radio
Begamin
You wanna fill us in on which team youre referring to or would rather keep it a secret all to yourself
SammyJ
It’s obvious to everyone except for you dummy
etex211
Anytime the Rays trade for your pitchers, you have to ask yourself what you’ve failed to unlock in those pitchers.
Salzilla
Honestly even though there’s a little more money abd years committed to Severino and now Springs, the A’s usually do pick up a pitcher or two every offseason. So sorta buz as usual. It’s just that Sev and Springs may give them a little more chance to compete.
Edp007
The A’s right now are as good or better than any of the other West division AL , very winnable weak division.
Max-Mtl
Boyle reminds me of Randy Johnson in his Expo uniform !
Nice trade for both teams.
johncoltrane
Someone educate me
If A’s dont acquire players with $ contracts
They lose revenue sharing ability?
Yankee Clipper
In short, yes, and that’s why they were punished a few years ago when it was removed from them; they were then given incremental increases of revenue sharing each year.
Doubledown2142
Awesome! Now trade for an above average 3b and this will be a fun, tough team next year.
prov356
Glad to see the A’s making some moves. I hope they change their uniform colors next and ban drum beating in the stands during home games.
nicksc10
Respect to the A’s for putting in that work. They’ve done much more than the poverty teams like ATL and Balt.