Jeffrey Springs

The public perception surrounding Jeffrey Springs sits at a measured B- — cautiously optimistic but nowhere near unanimous endorsement from the Athletics faithful. The narrative driving that grade is a genuine push-and-pull: his near no-hitter earlier this season generated the kind of feel-good, quirky-competitor story that captures attention well beyond the Oakland market, but rough outings during tough series losses have consistently undercut the momentum, giving local coverage a "two steps forward, one step back" rhythm. That mirrors his on-field production almost exactly, as his B- performance grade reflects a solid mid-rotation arm whose inconsistency keeps him from ascending to anything resembling ace-level status. At $7.8M AAV, Springs generates neither the excitement of a frontline starter nor the frustration of an overpaid bust, which makes it difficult for the narrative to gain real traction in either direction — he occupies that maddening middle ground where fans appreciate the flashes without fully trusting the package. The Athletics' recent organizational churn — adding Jonah Heim via trade, signing Tyler Ferguson and Brady Basso to round out depth, and bringing Max Muncy and Brent Rooker into the mix — signals a front office actively trying to build around a roster that is positioned at No. 2 in the AL West, which raises the stakes on Springs to deliver more consistency as the regular season unfolds. With sentiment cooling off over the last 30 days from B+ to B-, the window for Springs to reshape his narrative is still open, but the goodwill from that near no-hitter will only carry him so far — his next stretch of starts will define whether Oakland genuinely believes in him as a mid-rotation pillar or quietly keeps shopping for an upgrade.