WEST SACRAMENTO -- The good vibes generated by an early lead for the Athletics on Thursday afternoon dissipated in a hurry.
Shortly after the A’s pushed across four runs in the second inning, highlighted by Nick Kurtz’s scorching two-run double, starter Jeffrey Springs completed a scoreless third inning against the Royals and exited the game at just 67 pitches, accompanied by trainer Jeff Collins as he walked back to the A’s clubhouse. The club later announced that Springs’ early departure was due to right hip soreness.
Springs has played a big role in the A’s early-season success, which saw them enter the day in first place in the American League West. The left-hander carried a 3.79 ERA into Thursday’s series finale and began the year 3-0 with a 1.46 ERA in his first four starts before hitting a bit of a rough patch over his previous two outings.
It’s unclear at this point how severe the hip issue is or if Springs will make his next start, scheduled to come during next week’s series against the Phillies, which begins Tuesday at Citizens Bank Park.