Texas Rangers sign All-Star pitcher Nathan Eovaldi

By Andrew Buller-Russ

·Updated: December 27, 2022

Former Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi is changing teams once again, placing him on track to pitch for the sixth team in his 12-year MLB career. Just two years removed from making his first All-Star team back in 2021 and four years removed from helping the BoSox win the 2018 World Series, the 32-year-old Houston, Texas native is ready to move on.

As one of, if not the top remaining starting pitcher available in MLB free agency, Eovaldi had several suitors pining to sign him. Yet, according to Robert Murray, the Texas Rangers are bringing Eovaldi home, landing the right-handed pitcher in his home state for the first time of his lengthy career.

The Rangers will be getting Eovaldi for two years on a $34 million contract. The deal also includes a third-year player option for an undisclosed amount. Eovaldi will be joining a Rangers rotation that ranked just 12th in the American League, with an ERA of 4.22 this past season.

Nathan Eovaldi brings a ring, plenty of experience to Texas Rangers

The allure of playing in front of his friends and family in Texas must have been too good to pass up. But it’s a great fit for both Eovaldi and the Rangers.

Eovaldi joins a rotation that will now be headed by 2022 signee Jacob deGrom and will likely slot in behind the new ace in town, just ahead of Martin Parez, Jon Gray, Jake Odorizzi, and Andrew Heaney. Clearly, the Rangers aren’t lacking in depth anymore, but a team can never have too many arms.

Nathan Eovaldi stats in 2022: 3.87 ERA, 109.1 IP, 103 SO, 1.235 WHIP

While the contract is pending a physical, there aren’t expected to be any issues coming to terms. Eovaldi is coming off a four-year, $68 million contract with the Red Sox and will immediately become one of the Rangers’ top starting options as they look to return to the postseason for the first time since 2016.