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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.

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

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

Comments

  1. jbigz12

    3 years ago

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

    Reply
  2. whyhayzee

    3 years ago

    Poyner that way, Springs here, Travis gone.

    Reply
  3. Stanley

    3 years ago

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

    Reply
  4. WhereIs28

    3 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

    3 years ago

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

    Reply
    • Curtisrowe

      3 years ago

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

      Reply
  6. Bledcam

    3 years ago

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

    Reply
    • FrostyPucker

      3 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

    3 years ago

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

    Reply
  8. Vin Scully

    3 years ago

    When do fringe players decide to move on?

    Reply
    • Losbravos69

      3 years ago

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

      Reply
  9. GCarbs

    3 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

    3 years ago

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

    Reply
    • johnsilver

      3 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

      3 years ago

      Yeah your right

      Reply
  11. pwndroia

    3 years ago

    Another low energy Chaim Bloom trade.

    Reply
    • Randy Red Sox

      3 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
      • Mo4ever

        3 years ago

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

        Reply
      • Curtisrowe

        3 years ago

        umm, no.

        Reply
  12. jorge78

    3 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

      3 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.”

      Reply
      • jorge78

        3 years ago

        Thanks!
        Most appreciated!

        Reply
  13. DarkSide830

    3 years ago

    Poyner is better imo

    Reply
    • AssumeFactsNotInEvidence

      3 years ago

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

      Reply
  14. Rsox

    3 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

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