Jeffrey Springs #59

He and his wife, Bailey, were married in 2018… their son, Stetson, was born Jan 27, 2022... Jeffrey signed for the minimum $1,000 after the Rangers selected the senior pitcher in the 30th round of the 2015 Amateur Draft…he worked multiple part-time jobs during the minor league offseasons, including pitching lessons, landscaping and at the YMCA, where he used his employment for a free gym membership Jeffrey’s major league debut came July 31, 2018 and he assumed he had been traded when he received a 2 p.m. call from the Rangers director of minor league operations…instead, he was informed of his call up and made it to the airport in time to debut that night in a 6:40 p.m. game... He grew up a Red Sox fan and enjoyed watching Pedro Martínez and Jason Varitek…his mother sent him a picture of a Red Sox keychain and gym bag she found in his room after he was traded from Texas to Boston in January 2020.

2021

In his first season with the Rays, was leading the team with 43 apps when he suffered a season-ending knee injury July 31 vs. BOS... Attempts to rehab the injury resulted in continued discomfort…underwent surgery Aug 16 to reconstruct a torn ACL in his right knee… the procedure was performed by Dr. Koco Eaton in St. Petersburg... Struck out 35.2 pct. (63 of 179) of his batters faced, the highest rate of his career…had a 48.2 pct. whiff rate on his changeup and a 39.3 pct. whiff rate on his sinker, according to Statcast... Yielded nine HR, which tied for thid among AL relievers at the time of his injury…57.1 pct. (12 of 21) of his runs allowed came on homers... Had a 1.04 ERA (8.2-IP, 1-ER) in his last eight apps... Made his third straight Opening Day roster with three different teams... On April 6 at BOS, took a blown save after allowinging the automatic runner to score in the 11th… yielded a game-tying single on his first pitch... On April 18 at NYY, recorded his first career save with a perfect ninth inning…became the fourth Ray to record his first career save at Yankee Stadium, joining Adam Kolarek in 2018, Jake Odorizzi in 2013 and Jeff Sparks in 1999... On May 7 at OAK, allowed a walk-off homer to Seth Brown, the third time in his career he was on the mound for a walk-off loss…the previous two were both walk-off homers: Sep 25, 2020, at ATL (Freddie Freeman) and Sep 16, 2019, at SD (Francisco Mejía)…marked the fourth time in club history the Rays lost on a “left-on-left” walk-off homer, following June 23, 2012, at PHI, Aug 7, 2009, at SEA and May 2, 2002, at MIN.

2020

Acquired by the Red Sox prior to spring training and made 16 apps over two stints in the majors… was on the active roster from Opening Day–Aug 10 and Aug 22–Sep 25…marked his second consecutive Opening Day roster...Pitched to a 3.86 ERA (11.2-IP, 5-ER) with 18 SO in his final 10 apps of the season...Recorded 4 outs (or more) in seven of 16 apps… went a season-high-tying 2 IP four times...Min. 20 IP, led the team with a 12.39 SO/9 IP ratio...On July 27 vs. NYM, made his Red Sox debut and allowed 5 runs in 1.1 IP, including 2-run homers by Pete Alonso and Dominic Smith.

2019

Missed more than 2 months of the season on the injured list, making 25 relief appearances over 3 stints with TEX and pitching in 6 games for Triple-A Nashville...Opened the season with the Rangers, pitching in 9 games before being optioned to Nashville on 4/26...Recalled by TEX on 5/15 and placed on the 10-day injured list on 6/17 (left biceps tendinitis)...Transferred to the 60-day IL on 6/28...Made 2 rehab appearances with the AZL Rangers and 1 with Nashville before being activated on 9/1...Pitched in 5 more games for the Rangers...Closed his season with 2.0 perfect innings of relief vs. BOS on 9/24.

2018

Entered the year having never pitched above High-A, but spent just 4 months with Frisco (AA) and Round Rock (AAA) before his promotion to Texas on 7/31…only staff members with a lower ERA than Springs' 3.38 figure after his contract was purchased on 7/31 (min. 15.0 IP) were José Leclerc (0.00) and Mike Minor (2.89)…posted 9 scoreless outings of 2.0+ IP, T4thmost in the A.L...went 0-for-1 in save tries, had 4 games finished, 2 holds, and permitted 5 of 7 inherited runners to score…posted 5.0 SHO IP in 2 starts and had 4.00 ERA (12 ER/27.0 IP) in 16 relief outings…1st batters faced hit .286 (4-14) with 2 BB.

2017

Led all Texas farmhands and finished 2nd in the Carolina League with 146 strikeouts…whiffed 30.9% of all batters faced (146 of 472) and averaged 11.7 SO/9, 6th-highest among all full season pitchers (min. 100.0 IP)…held opponents to a .245/.311/.396/.708 slash line overall…was 1-8, 4.60 (46 ER/90.0 IP) over 17 starts and had 22.1 scoreless innings over 14 relief appearances…began the season in the Wood Ducks rotation and allowed 2-or-fewer runs in 9 of 17 starts…had 3 outings of 10+ strikeouts…shifted to the bullpen on 7/26 and held opponents to a .173/.230/.210/.440 slash line over 14 appearances…ended the season with 25.1-inning scoreless streak over his last 15 G/14 GS…had 2 scoreless innings over 2 relief appearances in the CL playoffs.

2016

Was a South Atlantic League All-Star at Hickory and earned a mid-season promotion to High Desert…opponents batted .216 (63-292), including .203 (41-202) by right-handed hitters…began the season in the Hickory bullpen and had a 0.61 WHIP and .106 opp. avg. in 18 relief appearances…compiled a 0.47 ERA (1 ER/19.1 IP) in 1st 12 relief outings…permitted season relief-high 4 runs (3 ER) on 5/27 vs. GBO, but had 9.1 inning scoreless streak over next 5 appearances before promotion on 6/23…opponents were 1-for-29 during scoreless streak…tossed 6.2 scoreless innings in 1st 3 outings with High Desert…made spot start on 7/6 at BAK (3.0 IP, 3 ER) and final relief appearance of season on 7/10 vs. RC (2.2 IP, 2 R)… joined rotation for remainder of the season on 7/16 and went 0-2, 5.95 (24 ER/36.1 IP) in 8 starts...had a 4.26 ERA (3 ER/6.1 IP) with 12 strikeouts and one walk over 2 games/one start in the postseason.

2015

Averaged 11.3 SO/9 and reached Low-A in first professional season…combined to go 2-2, 2.61 (9 ER/31.0 IP) with 39 strikeouts in 17 relief outings with Spokane and Hickory.