'Hometown' Nathan Eovaldi Leads Texas Rangers into ALCS Game 2 at Houston Astros
HOUSTON – Nathan Eovaldi might have bounced around from city to city in his major league career, but the greater Houston area will always be considered "home."
Eovaldi, who's arguably been the Texas Rangers' top pitcher when at full strength this season, grew up just 40 minutes southeast of downtown Houston in the city of Alvin. He ended up becoming the Yellow Jackets' top arm in high school and one of the state's better pitching prospects before being drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2008.
He'll now look to extend Texas' postseason win streak to seven games in Game 2 of the American League Championship Series Monday afternoon against the Astros at Minute Maid Park. Houston is starting Framber Valdez.
“It's awesome. I'm going to have a lot of friends and family here for the game,” Eovaldi said Sunday. “Any time we're in this stage, in this moment right here, being this close to the World Series, it's a big deal. Doesn't matter where we're playing at, it's a big honor for us to be here. I feel like as a team we've accomplished a lot to get here.”
Eovaldi's regular season success carried over into October through two games. The 33-year-old right-hander picked up the deciding win over the Tampa Bay Rays in the Wild Card round after allowing one run in 6 2/3 innings pitch to secure the series sweep.
He picked up another series-clinching win, this time at Globe Life Field, against the Baltimore Orioles last week in a one-run showcase through seven frames.
Eovaldi commanded the strike zone in both victories, notching 144 strikes in 196 pitches. He attacked both offensive-driven lineups, collecting 15 strikeouts against 11 hits.
"You look at what his résumé shows, he does a great job in the postseason," Texas manager Bruce Bochy said. "He's a guy that clenched it for us, threw a great game there. And made sense to have him go Game 2."
Monday will mark his fifth postseason start at Minute Maid Park, but his first while representing the Rangers. The four other appearances came during his five-year stay with the Boston Red Sox, including the 2018 ALCS that netted him his first World Series title.
Texas Rangers outfielder Evan Carter (No. 32) slides into second base at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas
Results have been mixed for Eovaldi when taking on Houston in 2023. In his first start on July 1, the right-hander tossed seven shutout innings in a 5-2 victory. After returning from a month-long stint on the injured list due to a forearm strain, Eovaldi lasted just 1 1/3 innings after giving up four runs.
"I feel like I'm a different pitcher than the last time I faced them just because that was my first one back from being injured and everything," he said. "And I feel night-and-day different compared to then as I do now."
Postseason success has varied against the Astros, too. Eovaldi delivered 1 1/3 inning of shutout baseball in the series-clinching 4-1 win at the Juice Box. In 2021, he won Game 2 of the ALCS, but was credited with losses in Game 4 and Game 6 to help send Houston back to the Fall Classic for the third time in five years.
Eovaldi said he isn't letting his past performances in Houston define his outlook for the return to a familiar mound Monday afternoon. The lineup he faced back in September has changed over the last several weeks.
Then again, so has Eovaldi for the better.
"It's more so taking the strengths I've had from the last two outings, the way I've commanded my pitches, my fastball, the usage of the splitter and all my other off-speed pitches," he said. "Using those strengths to attack those guys.”
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