Rangers Decide Not to Start Nathan Eovaldi in Athletics Series Finale

The Texas Rangers will give Nathan Eovaldi a bit more time to recover from his stiff back by starting a different pitcher on Wednesday.

Mar 22, 2023; Scottsdale, Arizona, USA; A detail view of Texas Rangers hats and gloves during a Spring Training game against the San Francisco Giants at Scottsdale Stadium. | Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images

The Texas Rangers will not start Nathan Eovaldi in Wednesday’s finale against the Athletics at Globe Life Field.

Rangers manager Bruce Bochy announced that to reporters after Tuesday’s game. The Dallas Morning News was among the outlets to post the news on X (formerly Twitter).

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Patrick Corbin, the left-hander who started the Rangers’ first game of the second half of the season, will take the start on normal rest.

By deferring on Eovaldi, the Rangers will most likely start him on Friday when they start a three-game series against the Atlanta Braves at Globe Life Field.

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Earlier this week, president of baseball operations Chris Young said the team was “targeting” Wednesday, but that it wasn’t certain. Texas manager Bruce Bochy said that Eovaldi would start either Wednesday or Friday.

Corbin (6-7, 3.91) took a no-decision against the Tigers. He allowed three hits in 5.2 innings, while he walked two. He also struck out six.

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After that start, shortstop Corey Seager praised how rock-solid Corbin — who was signed in late March — has been for the rotation all season.

“He kept us in that game all night, and he’s able to do that every fifth day,” Seager said. “He can come out and eat innings, and good innings. It’s not just going out there and throwing five innings. He’s going out and throwing it well.”

Eovaldi was supposed to pitch on Sunday, but he had back spasms during batting practice on Saturday and required Texas to scratch him before Sunday’s start. Jacob Latz took Eovaldi’s turn in the rotation.

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Eovaldi (7-3, 1.58) has made 16 starts as has 94 strikeouts and 14 walks in 91 innings. The Rangers recently gave him a $100,000 bonus even though he didn’t make the All-Star team.

He has already missed a month of the season due to an arm injury that he was able to return from before the end of the first half of the season.

If Eovaldi pitches on Friday, he would do so on 12 days’ rest.

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