Jeffrey Springs pitched a scoreless six-inning gem in his Athletics debut on Friday night and sparked the Green and Gold’s first win of the 2025 MLB season, a 7-0 victory over the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park.
The right-handed starter, who was acquired this offseason via trade from the Tampa Bay Rays, needed 83 pitches to collect nine strikeouts and allowed just four baserunners on three hits and one walk.
"Overall, I'll definitely take it for the first one," Springs told reporters after Friday's win. "Being able to go six, be efficient, that was kind of the goal. Just be efficient, get the pitch count down -- that was a big issue in spring training -- and just try to go right at hitters and fill it up as much as possible.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
"Pretty pleased with how the first one went."
Springs used 41 four-seam fastballs, peaking at 91.8 miles per hour on the night, and generated six whiffs with the heater. He also went to his changeup 22 times – finishing six of nine strikeouts with the breaking ball – and sprinkled in 13 sliders, six cutters and one sweeper.
Springs' changeup 🤌 pic.twitter.com/44BvfOEKEy
— Athletics on NBCS (@NBCSAthletics) March 29, 2025
It was the 32-year-old's first start since Sep. 3, as he was shut down by the Rays after making seven starts in 2024 due to elbow fatigue directly related to the Tommy John Surgery he underwent in 2023.
Athletics
Find the latest Athletics news, highlights, analysis and more with NBC Sports Bay Area and California.
Springs' only trouble against Seattle was a two-on, one-out jam in the fifth, but a clutch throw-turned-out at home from JJ Bleday followed by the centerfielder's inning-ending sliding catch kept the Athletics unscathed.
Great throw ✅
— Athletics on NBCS (@NBCSAthletics) March 29, 2025
Great tag ✅
GOT ‘EM 💪 pic.twitter.com/920XT15qyu
This offseason, fourth-year manager Mark Kotsay discussed Spring's experience as a seven-year MLB veteran as an attractive aspect of his arrival, considering the franchise’s heavy reliance on youth over the past few seasons. Kotsay, who already enjoyed prized free-agent signing Luis Severino's six scoreless frames on Opening Day, can get used to Friday’s version of Springer.
“Jeffrey really controlled the game. [He] changed speeds really well tonight, had a great game plan against them, and used it effectively,” Kotsay told reporters postgame. “Nine punch-outs in six innings says a lot about his performance and his stuff.”
Athletics relievers – in order: righty Justin Sterner, lefty T.J. McFarland and righty Mitch Spence – collectively finished the job with a scoreless three endings to set the table for the penultimate series game on Saturday at 6:40 p.m. PT.
The Green and Gold’s first offensive burst of the season made the Pacific Northwest evening that much more leisurely, a complete flip from its three-hit season-opener.
The scoring started in the fifth, as right-fielder Lawrence Butler registered his first hit of the year with a double off Mariners starter Luis Castillo and was brought home by Brent Rooker’s two-run home run, which was the designated hitter’s first knock of 2025.
A pair of singles from Bleday and catcher Shea Langeliers with a ground-rule double from first baseman Tyler Soderstrom – all with two outs against left-handed Seattle reliever Tayler Saucedo – gave the Green and Gold three more runs in the seventh.
“Tonight was a great night for [Rooker], tonight was a great night for a lot of guys in the lineup,” Kotsay said. “The top four guys (Butler, Rooker, Bleday and Langeliers), who I talked to last night, only reached base once (on Thursday). They were a driving force tonight. … That’s production [and] that’s where it needs to come.”
Athletics rookie second baseman Max Muncy put the icing on the cake in the eighth when recording his first career hit with a 430-foot home run to center off right-handed Mariners reliever Carlos Vargas.
WELCOME TO THE SHOW, MAX MUNCY 😱 pic.twitter.com/9WtA1aHsol
— Athletics on NBCS (@NBCSAthletics) March 29, 2025
“It was definitely exciting,” Muncy said on NBC Sports California’s “A’s Postgame Live” with Jenny Cavnar and Dallas Braden. “He got me down 0-2 early, and I just kind of stuck with my plan, and he ended up leaving his changeup over the plate, and I was able to get it out of here.”
And to really send the Seattle faithful home bitter, Luis Urías hit a 396-foot homer to left-center against Vargas and his former club, in a pinch-hit bid for third baseman Gio Urshela.
Luis Urías crushes his first home run with the Athletics 👏 pic.twitter.com/y5sk4BI0ia
— Athletics on NBCS (@NBCSAthletics) March 29, 2025
It was a top-to-bottom victory for the Athletics and one the franchise aims to build on. Last year, they started 0-3 and later 1-7. The Green and Gold are on a better trajectory in 2025.
Right-hander Osvaldo Bido is expected to take the mound for the Athletics on Saturday against righty Bryce Miller. The Athletics haven’t started 2-1 since the coronavirus-shortened 2020 season, also the last campaign the Green and Gold reached the postseason.