Jeffrey Springs played an important role in the Rays' record-tying start to the 2023 season, but the left-handed pitcher is now out indefinitely with an elbow issue that manifested in his start against the Red Sox on earlier this week.
Springs will miss at least two months, sources confirmed to ESPN on Friday, and the Rays have no real sense yet when he might return. Springs departed his start against the Red Sox on Thursday after three innings, and the organization's hope was that the elbow discomfort he felt was nothing more than an irritation.
But Springs' exam Friday, which included an MRI, have shifted expectations, sources said. He will continue to undergo more evaluations and treatment.
Rays manager Kevin Cash said he expects Springs to be sidelined for some time.
"We've talked about getting some opinions, putting doctor's heads together, our training staff," Cash said after the Rays lost 6-3 to the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday night, their first loss of the season following a 13-0 start. "But I'm confident he's not going to be on the mound any time soon for us."
Springs, 30, had emerged as one of baseball's best left-handers with the Rays, after hanging on the fringes of the big leagues for several years. A product of Appalachian State, Springs was drafted in the 30th round in 2015 and bounced from the Rangers to the Red Sox, compiling a 5.42 ERA in 59 games. He was eventually acquired by the Rays in a trade at the outset of spring training in 2021.
Like many other Tampa Bay success stories, Springs found answers with the Rays; he had 63 strikeouts in 44⅔ innings in relief in 2021 and thrived after shifting to the rotation in 2022. In 25 starts last season, he had a 2.66 ERA, and during the most recent offseason, the Rays signed him to a four-year, $31 million deal.
Springs threw 13 scoreless innings in his first two starts this season, helping to fill the void created in spring training when Rays right-hander Tyler Glasnow went down with an oblique injury.
But now Tampa Bay will have to find someone to step in for Springs.
Glasnow has progressed well in his treatment and has been throwing from 120 feet. At the time of the injury, in February, the initial estimate was for Glasnow to miss about six to eight weeks.
The Tampa Bay Times was first to report Springs' return timetable.