Headlines

  • Braves Designate Orlando Arcia For Assignment
  • Royals Designate Hunter Renfroe For Assignment
  • Braves Expected To Activate Ronald Acuna On Friday
  • Mariners Activate George Kirby For Season Debut
  • Jean Segura Retires
  • Report: “No Chance” Paul Skenes Will Be Traded This Year
  • Previous
  • Next
Register
Login
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Pro Football Rumors
  • Pro Hockey Rumors

MLB Trade Rumors

Remove Ads
  • Home
  • Teams
    • AL East
      • Baltimore Orioles
      • Boston Red Sox
      • New York Yankees
      • Tampa Bay Rays
      • Toronto Blue Jays
    • AL Central
      • Chicago White Sox
      • Cleveland Guardians
      • Detroit Tigers
      • Kansas City Royals
      • Minnesota Twins
    • AL West
      • Houston Astros
      • Los Angeles Angels
      • Oakland Athletics
      • Seattle Mariners
      • Texas Rangers
    • NL East
      • Atlanta Braves
      • Miami Marlins
      • New York Mets
      • Philadelphia Phillies
      • Washington Nationals
    • NL Central
      • Chicago Cubs
      • Cincinnati Reds
      • Milwaukee Brewers
      • Pittsburgh Pirates
      • St. Louis Cardinals
    • NL West
      • Arizona Diamondbacks
      • Colorado Rockies
      • Los Angeles Dodgers
      • San Diego Padres
      • San Francisco Giants
  • About
    • MLB Trade Rumors
    • Tim Dierkes
    • Writing team
    • Advertise
    • Archives
  • Contact
  • Tools
    • 2024-25 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2025-26 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2024-25 Top 50 MLB Free Agents With Predictions
    • Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2025
    • Free Agent Contest Leaderboard
    • Contract Tracker
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Agency Database
  • NBA/NFL/NHL
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors
  • App
  • Chats
Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Red Sox, Rangers Swap Sam Travis For Jeffrey Springs

By Steve Adams | January 15, 2020 at 4:06pm CDT

The Rangers have acquired first baseman Sam Travis from the Red Sox in exchange for left-hander Jeffrey Springs, the teams announced. Boston has designated left-hander Bobby Poyner to make room on the 40-man roster.

Both Travis and Springs were recently designated for assignment, though Travis had already cleared waivers and been outrighted off Boston’s 40-man roster. Springs, meanwhile, was only designated earlier this afternoon. The Rangers will now pick up Travis’ rights without needing to dedicate a 40-man roster spot to the former prospect. The Red Sox, meanwhile, clearly feel they’re upgrading their left-handed bullpen depth in going with Springs over Poyner.

Travis, 26, was a second-round pick back in 2014 and frequented Red Sox prospect rankings as he rapidly ascended through the lower minors. However, while he hit well up through the Double-A level, Travis saw his bat stall in Triple-A and, despite a series of looks in the Majors, never made good at the game’s top level, either. In all, he’s a .267/.339/.392 hitter in nearly 1200 Triple-A plate appearances and just a .230/.288/.371 hitter in 278 MLB trips to the plate.

That said, the Rangers aren’t exactly teeming with quality first base options. Former top prospect Ronald Guzman hasn’t distinguished himself in his own MLB tryouts to date, and the club is intent on playing Joey Gallo in the outfield. Newly signed Todd Frazier could certainly handle first base if the Texas organization adds a more prominent option at third base, but there’s little harm in stashing Travis as a depth piece in hopes that a change of scenery brings out some of his yet-untapped potential.

The 27-year-old Springs, meanwhile, struggled to a 6.40 ERA with 32 strikeouts against 23 walks in 32 1/3 innings with Texas in 2019. He’s posted huge strikeout numbers in the upper minors and enjoyed better success with the Rangers in 2018 than in 2019, but he’s an extreme fly-ball pitcher with below-average velocity who saw his opponents’ hard-hit rate soar in 2019. Springs does have three minor league option years remaining, so he’ll be an optionable piece of depth for the Sox for the foreseeable future — assuming he sticks on the roster.

Poyner, meanwhile, has a minor league option of his own remaining. Like Springs, he’s a 27-year-old who posted solid numbers in 2018 but struggled in 2019. The similarities don’t stop there, as Poyner saw his hard-hit rate and opponents’ exit velocity both jump in 2019. However, he doesn’t have Springs’ gaudy strikeout totals and averages just 89.8 mph on his heater to Springs’ 91.7 mph. Boston will have a week to trade, outright or release Poyner.

Share 0 Retweet 7 Send via email0

Boston Red Sox Texas Rangers Transactions Bobby Poyner Jeffrey Springs Sam Travis

Braves, Yangervis Solarte Agree To Minor League Deal
Main
Nationals, Mac Williamson Agree To Minor League Deal
View Comments (25)
Post a Comment

25 Comments

  1. Jbigz12

    5 years ago

    Springs also has more option years than poyner. This was poyner’s last year he was able to be shuttled.

    2
    Reply
  2. whyhayzee

    5 years ago

    Poyner that way, Springs here, Travis gone.

    2
    Reply
  3. Ashtem

    5 years ago

    All of this because of minor league options at least Travis joins his buddy Swihart in Texas

    Reply
  4. WhereIs28

    5 years ago

    Out of the topic why do i keep getting trump advertisement only in this site. I tried Changing it with Google but nothing. Its tiring seeing the same BS advertisement is it jus me i have no interest in politics or do i ever go in to sites about politics anyone else suffering from this.

    Reply
  5. Rangers29

    5 years ago

    Nice move, he will be the platoon with Guzman, and now 1b is filled. (Unless of course we get Castellanos).

    Reply
    • Occams_hairbrush

      5 years ago

      Yeah, other than the fact Travis is awful it’s a super good move.

      Reply
  6. Bledcam

    5 years ago

    There’s the trade all of us Rangers fans were waiting for. Way to get it done JD.

    Reply
    • FrostyPucker

      5 years ago

      No way Bledcam! That’s the trade us Sox fans have been waiting for. My god, this season’s gonna suck.

      Reply
  7. richt

    5 years ago

    How many times can one say “meanwhile” in a post? My head is spinning.

    1
    Reply
  8. Vin Scully

    5 years ago

    When do fringe players decide to move on?

    Reply
    • Mrtwotone

      5 years ago

      Why would they? The longer they stay the better the pension. You would too

      1
      Reply
  9. GCarbs

    5 years ago

    I’d rather have a bar of soap in the pen than Poyner. At least the soap serves a purpose

    Reply
  10. pasha2k

    5 years ago

    I wish Poyner the best. He could not pitch in the show for Boston.

    1
    Reply
    • User 4245925809

      5 years ago

      Poyner just 1 of the 3-4 wasted roster spots on the 40 man roster. Finally he’s gone.. reyes still needs to go, followed by Weber and Arauz as total wasted places.

      Reply
    • zanek

      5 years ago

      Yeah your right

      Reply
  11. Cora the Destroya

    5 years ago

    Another low energy Chaim Bloom trade.

    1
    Reply
    • Randy Red Sox

      5 years ago

      come on now–Mr Bloom has other things on his plate. Unless he can dump salary these are the ONLY types of deals he will be making. Sox will be a sub .500 squad this year

      Reply
      • MoRivera 1999

        5 years ago

        Nah. Betts, Price, Eovaldi and maybe more would have to go for that to happen.

        Reply
      • Occams_hairbrush

        5 years ago

        umm, no.

        Reply
  12. jorge78

    5 years ago

    Can someone explain how option totals are determined please? Springs spent time in the minors and majors in 2019 yet he still has three option years left? I thought a player only got three.

    Reply
    • averagejoe15

      5 years ago

      “Once a player has been placed on a team’s 40-man reserve list, a team has 3 option years on that player. A player is considered to have used one of those three option years when he spends at least 20 days in the minors in any of those 3 seasons.”

      1
      Reply
      • jorge78

        5 years ago

        Thanks!
        Most appreciated!

        Reply
  13. DarkSide830

    5 years ago

    Poyner is better imo

    Reply
    • AssumeFactsNotInEvidence

      5 years ago

      You really have a pulse on fringe major leaguers, eh?

      Reply
  14. Rsox

    5 years ago

    Springs gives the Red Sox left-handed bullpen depth in the minors should Darwinzon Hernandez, Brian Johnson, Josh Osich or another yet-to-be-signed player falter on the big club.

    Travis could an interesting bat for Texas depending on how the stadium plays and if he gets a real opportunity to play.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Please login to leave a reply.

Log in Register

ad: 300x250_1_MLB

    Top Stories

    Braves Designate Orlando Arcia For Assignment

    Royals Designate Hunter Renfroe For Assignment

    Braves Expected To Activate Ronald Acuna On Friday

    Mariners Activate George Kirby For Season Debut

    Jean Segura Retires

    Report: “No Chance” Paul Skenes Will Be Traded This Year

    Pirates’ Jared Jones, Enmanuel Valdez Undergo Season-Ending Surgeries

    Hayden Wesneski To Undergo Tommy John Surgery

    Dodgers Release Chris Taylor

    Jose Alvarado Issued 80-Game PED Suspension

    Orioles Fire Manager Brandon Hyde

    Ben Joyce Undergoes Season-Ending Shoulder Surgery

    Dodgers Promote Dalton Rushing, Designate Austin Barnes For Assignment

    Major League Baseball Rules That Permanent Ineligibility Ends At Death

    Rangers Place Corey Seager On Injured List

    Cubs Promote Moises Ballesteros

    Evan Longoria To Sign One-Day Contract, Retire As Member Of Rays

    Diamondbacks To Promote Jordan Lawlar

    Rockies Fire Bud Black

    Cubs Promote Cade Horton

    Recent

    Cubs Making Push To Host 2027 All-Star Game

    Rhett Lowder Suffers Oblique Strain

    Tigers Outright Tomas Nido

    Jake Diekman Announces Retirement

    Poll: Can Jeremy Pena Keep This Up?

    Royals Acquire Diego Castillo

    Athletics Designate Seth Brown For Assignment, Option JJ Bleday

    Which Arms Could The Pirates *Actually* Trade This Summer?

    White Sox Option Andrew Vaughn, Tim Elko

    Mariners Designate Jesse Hahn For Assignment

    ad: 300x250_5_side_mlb

    MLBTR Newsletter - Hot stove highlights in your inbox, five days a week

    Latest Rumors & News

    Latest Rumors & News

    • 2024-25 Top 50 MLB Free Agents With Predictions
    • Nolan Arenado Rumors
    • Dylan Cease Rumors
    • Luis Robert Rumors
    • Marcus Stroman Rumors

     

    Trade Rumors App for iOS and Android

    MLBTR Features

    MLBTR Features

    • Remove Ads, Support Our Writers
    • Front Office Originals
    • Front Office Fantasy Baseball
    • MLBTR Podcast
    • 2024-25 Offseason Outlook Series
    • 2025 Arbitration Projections
    • 2024-25 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2025-26 MLB Free Agent List
    • Contract Tracker
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Extension Tracker
    • Agency Database
    • MLBTR On Twitter
    • MLBTR On Facebook
    • Team Facebook Pages
    • How To Set Up Notifications For Breaking News
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors

    Rumors By Team

    • Angels Rumors
    • Astros Rumors
    • Athletics Rumors
    • Blue Jays Rumors
    • Braves Rumors
    • Brewers Rumors
    • Cardinals Rumors
    • Cubs Rumors
    • Diamondbacks Rumors
    • Dodgers Rumors
    • Giants Rumors
    • Guardians Rumors
    • Mariners Rumors
    • Marlins Rumors
    • Mets Rumors
    • Nationals Rumors
    • Orioles Rumors
    • Padres Rumors
    • Phillies Rumors
    • Pirates Rumors
    • Rangers Rumors
    • Rays Rumors
    • Red Sox Rumors
    • Reds Rumors
    • Rockies Rumors
    • Royals Rumors
    • Tigers Rumors
    • Twins Rumors
    • White Sox Rumors
    • Yankees Rumors

    ad: 160x600_MLB

    Navigation

    • Sitemap
    • Archives
    • RSS/Twitter Feeds By Team

    MLBTR INFO

    • Advertise
    • About
    • Commenting Policy
    • Privacy Policy

    Connect

    • Contact Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS Feed

    MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

    hide arrows scroll to top

    Register

    Desktop Version | Switch To Mobile Version