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Nathan Eovaldi Unlocks 2025 Player Option

By Anthony Franco | September 17, 2024 at 8:20pm CDT

Nathan Eovaldi completed four innings in tonight’s start against Toronto. That was the necessary cutoff to vest a $20MM player option for next season.

Eovaldi signed with the Rangers over the 2022-23 offseason on a two-year, $34MM guarantee. He collected a $2MM signing bonus and respective $16MM salaries during the first two years. To unlock the option, Eovaldi needed to throw a combined 300 innings over the two seasons. He has now done just that, reaching 156 frames this season after throwing 144 innings during his first campaign in Texas.

As MLBTR’s Steve Adams explored yesterday, there’s a good chance the righty gets to free agency in either case. Eovaldi has had a strong two-year run in Arlington. He worked to a 3.63 ERA last season. He carried a 3.67 mark into today’s start, although the Jays tagged him for seven runs tonight. Eovaldi has fanned more than 24% of opposing hitters while keeping the ball on the ground at a near-49% clip. A consistently excellent strike-thrower, he’s walking fewer than 6% of batters faced.

Eovaldi still looks like a quality #3 arm, one whom teams could comfortably tab for a playoff start. He pitched very well during the Rangers’ World Series run, working to a 2.95 ERA at more than six innings per start over six appearances. Eovaldi’s fastball checks in at nearly 96 MPH on average. He remains one of the harder-throwing starters in the majors even as he approaches his 35th birthday.

The primary knock against Eovaldi throughout his career has been his injury history. While he has ten seasons with 100+ innings pitched, he has had a few significant arm issues. Eovaldi has undergone Tommy John surgery twice. He missed time with back and shoulder problems in 2022 with the Red Sox — perhaps the biggest reason he was limited to two guaranteed years as a free agent.

Eovaldi has gone on the injured list in both seasons with the Rangers. He missed over a month with a forearm strain last year and lost a couple weeks to a groin strain this past May. The forearm injury could be a concern for some teams because of the previous Tommy John surgeries, but he has looked no worse for wear in the year-plus since that IL placement.

Eovaldi has received a qualifying offer in his career. That makes him ineligible for another QO, so Texas could not tie him to draft compensation if he decides to test the market. He would probably at least secure another two-year deal that pays him something close to $20MM on an annual basis. That’d presumably be preferable to the one-year player option, although Eovaldi is a Houston native who might prefer to stay in his home state. The option also provides insurance in case he suffers an injury in either of his final two starts of the season.

The rotation looks like an offseason priority for newly-extended baseball operations president Chris Young. Jacob deGrom is back at the top of the staff. They’ll hope for a healthy season from Tyler Mahle. Kumar Rocker debuted last week and could battle for a rotation spot. That’s also true of Rocker’s college teammate Jack Leiter, though he’s been hit hard in his first seven MLB appearances. Jon Gray should return from a season-ending foot injury in the fourth year of his free agent deal. Cody Bradford has pitched well in a swing role.

That’s a high-variance group. deGrom, Mahle and Rocker recently returned from Tommy John recoveries. Leiter, Rocker and Bradford (to a lesser extent) are light on big league experience. Max Scherzer, Andrew Heaney and José Ureña are headed to free agency. Eovaldi still seems likely to join them. Texas could try to bring Eovaldi back on another multi-year deal and should look for at least one outside acquisition even if they retain him.

Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.

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Newsstand Texas Rangers Nathan Eovaldi

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20 Comments

  1. Carl Winslow

    9 months ago

    Congratulations, Nate.

    5
    Reply
  2. vincent k. mcmahon

    9 months ago

    Although I do think he could pick up his option, I do also think he could decline it in favor what could potentially be another multi year deal.

    2
    Reply
    • Fever Pitch Guy

      9 months ago

      Vince – “The Red Sox have shown interest in not signing Nate Eovaldi.”

      2
      Reply
  3. Champ world champion Texas Rangers

    9 months ago

    He will sign a 2-3 year deal for 20 plus a year

    1
    Reply
  4. Charlie III

    9 months ago

    Has he had the best career of any two-time TJ survivor?

    Reply
    • Carl Winslow

      9 months ago

      “TJ survivor”

      Thoughts and prayers to those who didn’t make it. See you at the Crossroads. And I’m gonna miss everybody.

      5
      Reply
  5. Old York

    9 months ago

    Pretty terrible way to achieve it…

    IP: 4.2
    H: 11
    ER: 7
    BB: 2
    K: 4

    Guy was mailing it in tonight.

    1
    Reply
    • Carl Winslow

      9 months ago

      That seagull didn’t deserve to be sent to an early grave by Dave Winfield in the 80s!

      3
      Reply
    • Poolhalljunkies

      9 months ago

      Or the other team did thier jobs well..there is that way to put as well..

      Reply
    • knolln

      9 months ago

      at least he waited til when the rangers season is defacto over,. most of the team mailed in april-july instead. maybe some ugly garbage time innings will deflate his market a fraction. my only problem with last night was the win. always up for a big langford showing though

      1
      Reply
  6. stymeedone

    9 months ago

    What’s sad is talking about a starting pitcher, and mentioning 100 innings pitched as if it’s a remarkable acheivement.

    1
    Reply
  7. Larry D.

    9 months ago

    He can do better than 1/$20.

    Reply
  8. knolln

    9 months ago

    i’m hoping around 2/48 could keep him in texas.

    1
    Reply
    • C Yards Jeff

      9 months ago

      Hey Nathan. You’re rich beyond rich. Where ever you end up, do it for the ring. On that note, how about Texas! Healthy, they’re built to win and have the manager to get them there. Jealous in Baltimore.

      Reply
  9. User 1939973770

    9 months ago

    i really hope he does not sign with the astros

    Reply
  10. KS Rangers

    9 months ago

    I’d love him to stay, but I hope Eovaldi goes wherever he’s happy. Dude has earned it. Was a bulldog in ‘23 WS run. Ranger legend for sure.

    3
    Reply
  11. letitbelowenstein

    9 months ago

    I get that it’s about money, but Nathan should stay in Texas. At least he’s appreciated there and it’s a good organization.

    3
    Reply
  12. Clofreesz

    9 months ago

    I think Nate will stay, but I won’t be surprised if he wants a multi-year deal instead of an option.

    Reply
  13. Citizen1

    9 months ago

    Opts for free agency then no team
    Going to give Nate a long term
    Deal with the injuries and stopping a trade one year.

    Reply
  14. Atheletic Mariner’s Angel

    9 months ago

    As much as I like Evo and appreciate what he did for the Rangers last season, any team giving him $70M/3yr would be crazy.

    Reply

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