Texas Rangers Star Right-Hander Excels in Second Spring Training Start

The Texas Rangers have at least one starting pitcher that is throwing exactly as they hoped he would be this point in the spring.

Sep 29, 2024; Anaheim, California, USA; Texas Rangers starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi (17) hugs a teammate after pitching in the seventh inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium. | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Nathan Eovaldi made his second start for the Texas Rangers in spring training on Wednesday against the Cleveland Guardians.

He made progress in many ways from his first start last Friday. For one thing, he threw three innings, one inning more than his spring training debut. Plus, the numbers looked much better.

Against the Guardians, he threw three innings, navigated three hits and only allowed one run. He struck out three and walked none to trim his spring training ERA to 5.40.

Eovaldi put together a perfect first inning, as Cleveland’s Brayan Rocchio grounded out, Lane Thomas lined out and Jose Ramirez flew out.

He then escaped a one-out double by Kyle Manzardo in the second inning by inducing a groundout from Gabriel Ariax and then striking out Jhonkensy Noel to end the inning.

The third inning is where he got into a bit of trouble, but not before he struck out former Rangers catcher Austin Hedges and Angel Martinez to start the frame.

Rocchio doubled to center field and then scored on Thomas’s single to center, which put Cleveland ahead, 1-0. Eovaldi then got Ramirez to line out to end the inning and his outing.

The Rangers rallied to win, 7-4.

In his first outing in the Rangers’ spring training opener, Eovaldi threw two innings, giving up two hits and two runs. He struck out one and walked one. He said after the game he was tinkering with a two-seam fastball, a pitch he hopes to add to his arsenal this season. He typically relies on a four-seam fastball and a slider among four reliable pitches.

The 35-year-old is expected to be the No. 2 pitcher in the rotation behind Jacob deGrom, who has yet to start a spring training game. When Eovaldi is on, he pitches like a top-of-the-rotation starter.

He returned to Texas on a three-year, $75 million deal he signed this offseason.  In two seasons with Texas, he went 24-13 with a 3.72 ERA in 54 starts.

Last season he struck out 24 percent of the hitters he faced, his best rate since 2021 with Boston. He went 12-8 with a 3.80 ERA in 170.2 innings with 166 strikeouts.

During the Rangers’ 2023 World Series championship season, he went 12-5 with a 3.63 ERA in 25 starts, with 132 strikeouts in 144 innings. He burnished his postseason credentials as he posted another impressive playoff run, as he went 5-0 in six playoff starts.

His postseason history is one reason he was in demand as a free agent. In the playoffs, Eovaldi has a career record of 9-1 with a 2.85 ERA in 12 starts. He also won a World Series ring with Boston in 2018.