ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Rays have acquired RHP Joe Boyle, INF Will Simpson, RHP Jacob Watters and a Competitive Balance Round A pick in the 2025 First-Year Player Draft in exchange for LHP Jeffrey Springs and LHP Jacob Lopez.
Boyle, 25, went 3-6 with a 6.42 ERA (47.2IP, 34ER) and 56 strikeouts in 13 appearances (10 starts) for the Athletics in 2024. Among all MLB pitchers who threw at least 500 four-seam fastballs, Boyle’s 97.7 mph average on the offering was seventh highest. He made his MLB debut with the Athletics 2023, going 2-0 with a 1.69 ERA (16.0IP, 3ER) in three starts.
Simpson, 23, hit .282/.378/.482 (131-for-465) with 31 doubles, four triples, 18 home runs, 90 RBI and 76 walks in 127 games between Class-A Lansing and Double-A Midland. He ranked among Athletics minor leaguers in RBI (2nd), total bases (2nd, 224), hits (3rd), doubles (T3rd), extra-base hits (4th, 53) and walks (4th). Simpson is currently tabbed as the Athletics No. 16 prospect by Baseball America and No. 28 by MLB.com.
Watters, 24, went 7-3 with a 5.23 ERA (63.2IP, 37ER) in 18 appearances (10 starts) between Class-A Lansing and Triple-A Las Vegas last season.
Springs, 32, went 2-2 with a 3.27 ERA (33.0IP, 12ER), 11 walks and 37 strikeouts over seven starts this season in his return from Tommy John surgery. He went 18-8 with a 2.63 ERA (229.0IP, 67ER) across 86 appearances (35 starts) for the Rays from 2021-24. Among pitchers with at least 200.0 innings, it marks the lowest career earned run average in franchise history. Springs was originally acquired from the Red Sox along with RHP Chris Mazza in exchange for INF Nick Sogard and C Ronaldo Hernández on February 17, 2021.
Lopez, 26, recorded a 5.23 ERA (10.1IP, 6ER) in four appearances (one start) for Tampa Bay in 2024, while going 4-7 with a 4.26 ERA (88.2IP, 42ER) in 21 appearances (19 starts) for Triple-A Durham.