Jeffrey

Springs

Things could have gone better for Springs, who allowed just three hard-hit balls on the night. The big blow was Josh Jung’s two-run to right-center, and that would have left only 11 of the 30 ballparks. Besides that, Springs gave up four singles and two walks. He dropped to 3-2 with a 3.79 ERA ahead of a start against Cleveland next week.

Springs almost literally couldn’t keep the ball in the park. He gave up nine hits, and four of those left the park. The 33-year-old was due for some regression as he came into this outing with a 1.46 ERA, but this was ugly, and a reminder of how tough pitching in Sacramento can be. Springs will get a chance to rebound away from those confines next weekend against the Rangers.

The Rangers brought a run in against Springs in the first inning on a pair of hits. Springs then locked in, giving up just one more hit and two walks. He recorded the first out in the seventh with his fifth strikeout before departing at 90 pitches. The 33-year-old left-hander has been off to an excellent start to the season, giving up four total runs over his first four starts for a 1.46 ERA, 0.77 WHIP, and a 20/8 K/BB ratio across 24 2/3 innings. Springs should be rostered in all formats, with his next start coming Sunday in Sacramento against the White Sox.

He made it through six no-hit innings before Ben Rice pulled a single past Nick Kurtz in the seventh. Springs struck out six and generated 14 whiffs, including four against the slider and five against both his fastball and changeup. Springs wasn’t quite a must-start, but this certainly bolsters the resume ahead of an upcoming set against the Rangers. He’s got a 1.47 ERA and 15 strikeouts in 18 1/3 innings through his first three turns.

The 33-year-old southpaw allowed just two hits and one walk on the evening. The lone tally against him came on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Yordan Alvarez in the third inning. Aside from that, he was brilliant. Springs got 12 whiffs on 103 pitches on the night, four each on his fastball and changeup, while posting a CSW of 31 percent. He’ll tote an impressive 2.38 ERA, 0.97 WHIP and 9/4 K/BB ratio over 11 1/3 innings into a tough matchup against the Yankees in New York on Thursday.

Springs worked two scoreless innings before three straight hits brought a run in to score in the third. He was then able to escape a bases-loaded jam to end the inning. Springs bounced back with a pair of clean innings and would end his day with a runner on and one out in the sixth. The inherited runner would come in to score. Springs scattered five hits and three walks while striking out two and generating six groundouts to limit the damage. He’ll make his next start at home in Sacramento against the Astros on Friday.

We know that Luis Severino was going to be the Opening Day starter, but the Athletics have now said that Jeffrey Springs will start on Saturday against the Blue Jays and Luis Morales will start on Sunday. Morales hasn’t had the best spring training, but did post a 3.14 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, and 43/18 K/BB ratio across 48 2/3 innings over 10 appearances (nine starts) with the Athletics last season. Fantasy managers in deeper leagues could add him for this weekend’s start, even to keep him on your bench and get a quick look to decide whether or not you want to hold him through the first waiver period on Sunday night or not.

Springs was lit up in his early spring outings, but pitched well to finish the Cactus League campaign. The 33-year-old will pitch near the top of the A’s rotation to open 2026, but he’s a streaming option until proven otherwise.

Calling hitter’s paradise Sutter Health Park his temporary home won’t do Springs any favors but he’s a perfectly cromulent innings-eater in deeper mixed leagues when he’s taking the ball on the road. The lack of big-time strikeout upside remains his biggest obstacle to mixed-league relevance. The 33-year-old lefty has posted a lackluster 7.94 ERA and 11/9 K/BB ratio across 11 1/3 innings this spring.

It was a nice bounce-back for Springs after getting lit up for four runs over 1 2/3 frames by the Royals in his spring debut last Friday. The 33-year-old southpaw doesn’t offer a ton of appeal pitching in the hitter’s paradise that is Sutter Health Park, but there’s enough strikeout upside to be impactful in road outings against weaker lineups.