When Jeffrey Springs stepped off the mound last Wednesday after picking up a win over the Seattle Mariners, he must’ve considered the possibility that it could’ve been his last pitch in an Athletics uniform, given the trade rumors surrounding him. But the 32-year-old southpaw is still on the roster, opposing the Washington Nationals tonight for a 6:45 p.m. first pitch in the middle contest of a three-game set.
Opposing Springs for Washington is Cade Cavalli, making his second career start.
Let’s break down this matchup with some odds and lines at DraftKings Sportsbook.
Athletics at Washington Nationals prediction, preview
Though the Athletics have long been effectively eliminated from playoff contention, their aggression in keeping Springs and Luis Severino made some sense, given the hot form they’ve been in lately. Since the All-Star break, the Athletics have gone 9-8, with the league’s 11th-best ERA and the second-best OPS. Everything clicked last night in a 16-7 win: Shea Langeliers mashed a trio of homers and Severino recorded a quality start. The Nationals did manage 10 hits of their own, one of the better performances that their cold offense has put on in a while, but they have still lost six straight games and given up 30 total runs across their last two. Washington has had the second-worst defense and fifth-worst offense since the midseason showcase.
The Nationals shouldn’t have much confidence in Cavalli to keep the Athletics’ red-hot offense at bay. The 26-year-old made a single appearance for Washington in 2022, conceding six hits and seven runs in 4.1 innings against the Cincinnati Reds, although his 3.80 FIP indicates that his performance wasn’t quite as bad as it seemed. He hasn’t shown much at the minor league level since, putting up a 6.09 ERA in 15 starts for Triple-A Rochester this season, and he’s in poor form at that level, with a 9.00 ERA in 27 innings across his last six starts, all losses. In his lone MLB appearance, Cavalli did do a good job limiting hard hits and had a solid six strikeouts, but it’s hard to pinpoint much good otherwise.
Springs, meanwhile, has been fairly hot. He’s recorded a win in four of his last five starts, and in a larger sample size, has posted a solid 3.10 ERA across his last nine outings and has given up more than two earned runs just twice across that span. He’s excelled at limiting hard hits this season, and his breaking stuff has been among the game’s best. While he does give up lots of fly balls, the Nationals have hit grounders at the league’s highest rate and play in a venue unfriendly to extra-base hits. Plus, the Athletics’ bullpen is fairly well-rested after an off day on Monday, so Mark Kotsay can afford to pull Springs if he starts to struggle.
Athletics at Washington Nationals pick, best bet
Best Bet: Nick Kurtz or Tyler Soderstrom – Either Player 2+ Hits (-105)
Kurtz is coming off of a ridiculous July in which he was named AL Player of the Month, and so far in August, he’s turned it up another notch, going seven-for-19 with six runs scored. Soderstrom, too, has had a pair of multi-hit games this month.
Strong Lean: Jeffrey Springs to Record a Win (+145)
I could always be wrong about how good Cavalli will look in his first MLB game in nearly three years, but he’s demonstrated no reason for confidence in the minors. Springs shouldn’t have to do too much to pick up his 11th win of the season.
