The New York Yankees looked as though they might avoid joining the mad dash for starting pitching at the trade deadline, but the Clarke Schmidt injury changed the picture entirely.
Schmidt is set to undergo Tommy John surgery and won't pitch again until late in 2026 at the earliest. He was New York's number-three starter for much of the season, and though defending Rookie of the Year Luis Gil will be back at some point, Schmidt still leaves a void in his wake.
To replace Schmidt, one baseball writer believes the Yankees should call upon the Athletics, who are once again in fire sale mode after a dismal first half of the season.
And though A's pitchers have generally struggled while pitching half their games in a minor league bandbox, this one has fared reasonably well.
On Wednesday, FanSided's Jake Elman named A's left-hander Jeffrey Springs as a "sneaky" potential trade target for the Yankees to consider at this year's deadline.
"It’s only a matter of when, not if, the lowly A’s officially wave the white flag and transition to 2026. There’s no legitimate reason for the Athletics to keep Springs," Elman wrote.
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"Springs has quietly posted a 3.76 ERA for the A’s and Tampa Bay Rays since returning from Tommy John surgery last summer. He’s a solid if unimpressive option, one that should nonetheless appeal to a Yankees team desperately needing starting rotation depth."
The 30-year-old Springs has a 3.92 ERA in 103 1/3 innings this season, and predictably, he's been better away from West Sacramento than he has at home. He's got a 4.33 ERA and .733 OPS allowed at home and a 3.61 ERA and .688 OPS on the road.
Springs is on an extension he originally signed with the Tampa Bay Rays, which pays him $10.5 million this year and next, with a $15 million team option for 2027.
If the Yankees believe he can be that mid-threes ERA starter for the rest of the season and beyond, there's no harm in seeing what kind of package the A's want for him.
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