Rangers Reunion: Nathan Eovaldi, Martin Perez Together Again
By signing Nathan Eovaldi, the Texas Rangers have not only added another starting pitcher, but they’ve reunited former teammates.
Eovaldi spent five seasons with the Boston Red Sox, from 2018-22, and during that time his paths crossed Rangers starter Martín Pérez.
Back then, Pérez was in his second season removed from the Rangers, where he broke in at the age of 21 in 2012 and spent seven seasons. After not re-signing with the Rangers, Pérez joined the Minnesota Twins in 2019 and went 10-7 with a 5.12 ERA.
Pérez then moved on to Boston, where he spent the 2020 and 2021 seasons in the same rotation with Eovaldi.
Pérez went 10-13 with a 4.65 ERA in two seasons with the Red Sox before hitting free agency again. But Eovaldi said he made an impression on him as a teammate.
“He has that same work ethic I feel I do and he's always out there watching guys trying to help the younger guys and he understands that it's not a me sport,” Eovaldi said. “You know you have to put in your work.”
Eovaldi said Pérez was “awesome” and was one of those players that can get “along with everybody.”
He watched Pérez go through ups and downs while with the Red Sox, which was why it was gratifying for Eovaldi to watch Pérez’s great 2022 from afar.
“In Boston, he didn't finish the way he wanted to,” Eovaldi said. “He was able to stay healthy and he came back over here and he reinvented himself and he's one of those starters who's able to take the ball every start and go out there and give you a good quality start.”
Pérez returned to the Rangers in 2022 and became the rotation’s best starter, going 12-8 with a career-low 2.89 ERA. He made 32 starts and his first All-Star Game appearance. He was also named the Rangers Pitcher of the Year for 2022. The Rangers retained him on a $19.65 million qualifying offer in free agency.
Eovaldi is the fourth starting pitcher the Rangers have acquired this offseason.
First was Mets ace Jacob deGrom, snagging him on a five-year, $185 million deal just before the winter meetings. Shortly after came former Dodgers starter Andrew Heaney. Before that, the Rangers traded starter/reliever Kolby Allard to Atlanta for starter Jake Odorizzi, who is in the option year of his contract.
The four join Pérez and Jon Gray, who signed as a free agent last offseason.
Eovaldi turns 33 next month and went 6-3 with a 3.87 ERA in 20 starts for Boston in 2022. He was undefeated on the road (4-0) and his 2.64 road ERA was ninth-best in the American League.
He has a career record of 67-68 with a 4.16 ERA with the Los Angeles Dodgers (2011-12), Miami (2012-14), the New York Yankees (2015-16), Tampa Bay (2018), and Boston (2018-22).
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