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The Texas Rangers are adding a big name to the starting rotation. Right-handed pitcher Nathan Eovaldi has agreed to a two-year, $34 million contract to join the Rangers, according to ESPN. The deal includes a third-year vesting player option. Texas will give up its' third-round pick because Eovaldi rejected the qualifying offer. The 32-year-old has spent the last five seasons with the Red Sox. Eovaldi went 6-and-3 with a 3.87 ERA in 20 starts for Boston in 2022. He made his sole All-Star appearance in 2021. Eovaldi has also spent time with the Marlins, Dodgers, Yankees and Rays during his 11-year career in the Majors.
“I’m elated that we have added another standout pitcher to our rotation in Nathan Eovaldi,” said Texas Rangers Executive Vice President & General Manager Chris Young. “Nathan has quality stuff and an unmatched work ethic, and he’ll provide a veteran presence to the staff. The depth of our starting pitching will be a real asset for the 2023 Texas Rangers.”
Eovaldi, who turns 33 in February, went 6-3 with a 3.87 ERA (47 ER/109.1 IP) over 20 games/starts for the Red Sox in 2022, including a 4-0 record and 2.64 ERA in 10 road starts. His 2.64 road ERA finished as 9th-best in the American League (minimum 10 starts). He also ranked among American League leaders (minimum 100.0 IP) in strikeouts per walk rate (8th, 5.15) and walks per 9 innings (9th, 1.65), posting a career-high 11 strikeouts on May 22 vs. Seattle. He finished 2nd in the A.L. with 2 complete games, the first such outings of his career. Eovaldi spent time on the Injured List last season with low back inflammation (June 9-July 14) and right shoulder inflammation (August 19-September 28).
Since the start of 2019, Eovaldi has induced misses on 26.1% of swings by opposing batters, the 9th-best rate in the American League over that span (minimum 400.0 IP). He leads all A.L. pitchers since the start of 2020 (minimum 300.0 IP) in both walks per 9 innings (1.64) and strikeouts per walk (5.65). An All-Star for the first time in his career in 2021, Eovaldi finished fourth that year in A.L. Cy Young Award voting behind Toronto’s Robbie Ray, New York-AL’s Gerrit Cole, and Chicago-AL’s Lance Lynn. He has a career record of 67-68 with a 4.16 ERA over 240 games/221 starts with Los Angeles-NL (2011-12), Miami (2012-14), New York-AL (2015-16), Tampa Bay (2018), and Boston (2018-22).
Eovaldi saw extensive postseason action with Boston in both 2018 and 2021, going 4-3 with a 3.14 ERA over 11 games/6 starts. He pitched in 3 of the 5 World Series games in the Red Sox’ 2018 championship run. Eovaldi has been the Red Sox’ Opening Day starter in each of the last three seasons. He has won both career starts in Arlington (2-0, 0.69), including a victory in his lone outing at Globe Life Field on April 30, 2021 (6.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R-ER, 2 BB, 5 SO). He joins Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan as the only graduates of Alvin (TX) High School to reach the Major Leagues.