Nathan Eovaldi’s masterful performance helps the Texas Rangers advance to the ALCS
The Texas Rangers revamped their starting rotation over the past year with the aim of having big-time pitchers for big-time moments.
To achieve that goal the Rangers brought in multiple new starting pitchers including Jacob deGrom, Andrew Heaney, Jordan Montgomery, John Gray, Max Scherzer and Tuesday’s pitcher Nathan Eovaldi.
With deGrom, Scherzer and Montgomery all unavailable and faced with the most important home game in over a decade It was Eovaldi who took the mound for the Rangers.
Eovaldi delivered in the Rangers’ 7-1 win over the Baltimore Orioles that secured an ALDS series victory and a trip to the American League Championship series prompting this comment.
“Oh god he was nasty, he just had everything working. The cutter, the curveball, the fastball, the splitter he had every pitch that he wanted,” said Scherzer during the Rangers postgame celebration.
Prior the game, Texas Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said it was great to have a pitcher who had been in this position before and after the game, he sang Eovaldi’s praises in the postgame press conference.
“The story is Nate, the job he did out there on the mound to help set the tone,” Bochy said, “ You guys have heard me talk about having that maniacal focus...he wants to be the guy out there.”
“If you look at what he [Nathan Eovaldi] and Montgomery have been doing, those guys, I mean, they carried us here this past week,” said Bochy.
Eovaldi’s history of postseason success makes it clear why he wants to be out there for the Rangers in high-leverage moments. Eovaldi won a World Series with the Boston Red Sox in 2018 and sports a record of 12-7 with a 2.90 ERA over his playoff career.
Eovaldi set the tone for Tuesday’s game in the first inning striking out two Orioles en route to a performance that saw him give up only one run on five hits with seven strikeouts and no walks over seven innings.
“I love pitching in these big moments and I feel like I’m a big competitor and the competitor definitely comes out and, you know, I enjoy having these big deciding games on the line,” said Eovaldi.
Scherzer (forearm), deGrom ( ulnar collateral ligament), Gray (forearm) were all unavailable due to injury and Montgomery had already pitched during game two of this series giving up five runs off nine hits in four innings with two strikeouts in the 11-8 victory.
Fans at Globe Life Field showered Eovaldi with a standing ovation when he left the mound in the seventh inning.
“It was definitely very special, I’ve never had a curtain call or anything like that, but our fans were bringing it on,” said Eovaldi.
Eovaldi had struggled near the end of the season going 1-2 with a 9.30 ERA in September, but credited a late-season adjustment with helping him regain his form. He finished the season with a record of 12-5 with a 3.63 ERA.
“I think it was after the last start that we had here in Seattle, I made a mechanical adjustment,” said Eovaldi, “I just felt so much better right away when I made that adjustment and then it was kind of going from there.”
That mechanical adjustment has helped Eovaldi surrender only two runs through 13.2 innings of work this postseason continuing his history of success.
The Rangers are now headed to the ALCS against the winner of the ALDS series between the Houston Astros and the Minnesota Twins. Texas will be on the road on Sunday for Game 1.
The Rangers could receive some reinforcements to their pitching in the ALCS. Gray is eligible to return from the 15-day injured list on Oct. 13th and Scherzer is throwing a simulated bullpen session on Wednesday with hopes of returning in the ALCS.
“This is honestly best case scenario cause that allows me to get a sim game in and be able extend my pitch count in a controlled setting,” said Scherzer.
The Rangers will head into the ALCS undefeated and vying for their first World Series appearance since 2011.
This story was originally published October 11, 2023 at 12:54 AM.
