Jeffrey Springs #59 of the Athletics pitches against the Texas Rangers in the top of the second inning at Sutter Health Park on April 14, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Mandatory photo credit: Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Jeffrey Springs has had a great start to the 2026 campaign and is helping propel the Sacramento Athletics’ resurgence of late.

Springs, who carried a 2-0 record into his third start of the season on Tuesday against the Texas Rangers, has been impressing with his stuff so far this year. On Tuesday, it was another impressive outing from the left-hander out of Appalachian State University as the A’s defeated the Rangers 2-1.

Springs went six and a third innings of one-run, three-hit baseball while striking out five and walking two. Springs needed just 90 pitches in his outing, where he was pulled after striking out the first batter of the seventh and left to a nice ovation from the Sutter Health Park faithful.

Juston Sterner took over for Springs with one out in the seventh. Sterner immediately gave up a double but was able to settle down and not allow a run to score. He finished tossing two-thirds of an inning, allowing one hit but no runs while striking out one and walking none.

In the eighth inning, Mark Kotsay gave the ball to Hogan Harris, who had an eventful inning and only lasted two outs. After getting a flyout and a popout, he promptly walked the next two hitters he faced and was lifted from the game. Elvis Alvarado came in to finish the inning on one pitch, getting Jake Burger to line out to left field. All in, Hogan pitched two-thirds of an inning, giving up no runs while walking two.

In the ninth inning, Mark Leiter Jr. came on to close the game for the A’s and was welcomed by a closer intro from the fans at Sutter Health Park. Leiter Jr. dominated the ninth in a one-two-three inning where he struck out two.

The A’s pitching was also aided by two terrific plays in the field, both victimizing Andrew McCutchen. Jacob Wilson made a great sliding play and spinning throw up the middle to rob McCutchen of a base hit in the sixth inning.

“When you are on defense with your pitchers on the mound, you wanna do whatever you can to make the plays to make their innings easier,” Jacob Wilson said after the game. “… being able to make the plays and see your guys fired up in the dugout… I’m excited to be able to do it again tomorrow.”

Denzel Clarke couldn’t let Wilson steal the show on defense, so he naturally had to add to his home run robbery lore. Denzel climbed the wall and took away what appeared to be a home run from Andrew McCutchen in the top of the fourth inning.

The A’s bats did just enough on Tuesday to earn the win in what could be described as a full team win. The Athletics only mustered four hits, but the timely hitting proved to win out in the end. The A’s rally came in the third inning with two outs after the A’s quickly made two outs in the inning. Denzel Clarke doubled, while Shea Langeliers and Nick Kurtz followed with two walks to set the table for Jacob Wilson. Wilson managed to rip a ball through the hole past third to score two runs that proved to be the difference in the game.

With the win, the A’s vaulted back over .500 with a 9-8 record to tie the Rangers for first place in the AL West. On Wednesday, the A’s and Rangers will go back at it in game three of the four-game series. The A’s will send J.T. Ginn (0-0, 3.27 ERA) to the hill, while the Rangers counter with Kumar Rocker (0-1, 4.50 ERA). First pitch is slated for 6:40 on what will be another chilly night in West Sacramento.