As part of the trade, the Rays received right-handed pitchers Joe Boyle and Jacob Watters along with infielder Will Simpson and the A's pick in Competitive Balance Round A of the 2025 MLB Draft.
Jeffrey Springs
Springs is currently under a four-year, $31 million contract with a club option set for 2027, a year in which he would be owed $15 million. The veteran lefty will earn $10.5 million this upcoming season and in 2026.
Despite Tommy John surgery in April 2023, sidelining Springs for all of last year and most of this season, he still managed to start seven games for the Rays this year, throwing a 3.27 ERA with 33 innings. In that stretch, Springs gave up 34 hits, 11 walks, and 37 strikeouts.
Springs has been rather great for the Rays when he's healthy. He has a 2.43 ERA in 86 total appearances. In 2022, the Rays converted him to a full-time starting pitching, a year in which he went 9-5 with a stellar 2.46 ERA, giving up just 114 hits and 31 walks in 135.1 innings pitch, topping it all off with 144 strikeouts.
Jacob Lopez
Lopez is coming off of a rough year with the Rays. He had a brutal 6.10 ERA for the major league club, granted it was just four appearances and a 4.77 ERA with the team's Durham Bulls AAA affiliate in 21 appearances (19 starts).
He made his major league debut in 2023 for the Rays, posting a 5.11 ERA in four appearances, but it looked like he could never find his stride with the organization. The California native will be heading to an Athletics squad that will be playing in Sacramento for the time being until the team is fully moved out to Las Vegas.
Rays Haul
Boyle has a brutal 2024 for the A's, pitching a 6.42 ERA in 13 appearances (10 starts) with an even more concerning 40 walks to 56 strikeouts in 47.2 innings.
Watters is also a surprise piece considering his constant struggles in the minor leagues. He threw a 5.23 ERA in 18 appearances (10 starts) last season in A+ and AAA ball, walking 33 batters and striking out 56 in 63.2 innings.
Simpson could be the diamond in the trade the Rays were after. He slashed .282/.378/.482 with 18 home runs and 90 RBI in the minors (A+, AA) last season, batting a solid .860 OPS. In AA, especially, Simpson improved his hitting even further, with a stellar slash line of 348/.408/.493 in 69 at-bats.
The trade for the Athletics continues their trend of establishing a solid starting rotation this offseason, especially after landing veteran Luis Severino on a big three-year, $67 million contract.