Jeffrey Springs to have Tommy John surgery

Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Jeffrey Springs needs Tommy John surgery, per reports. This would sideline Springs for the rest of 2023 and into 2024.

Springs, 30, was originally a 30th round pick of the Texas Rangers out of Appalachian State in 2015. He spent time in the majors with the Rangers in 2018 and 2019 before being dealt to the Boston Red Sox for Sam Travis in January of 2020. Boston sent him to Tampa right before spring training in 2021.

Springs was fine for Tampa in 2021 out of the bullpen, but then had a huge breakout in 2022 as a starter. Springs had a 2.46 ERA in 135 innings in 2022, good for a 3.7 bWAR.

Springs signed a four year, $31 million extension this past offseason and started off great in 2023 before leaving his third outing with what was initially described as elbow nerve irritation. It later was reported to be a flexor tendon issue, and now apparently is a damaged UCL.