By signing Nathan Eovaldi, the Texas Rangers haven’t solely added one other beginning pitcher, however they’ve reunited former teammates.
Eovaldi spent 5 seasons with the Boston Red Sox, from 2018-22, and through that point his paths crossed Rangers starter Martín Pérez.
Back then, Pérez was in his second season faraway from the Rangers, the place he broke in on the age of 21 in 2012 and spent seven seasons. After not re-signing with the Rangers, Pérez joined the Minnesota Twins in 2019 and went 10-7 with a 5.12 ERA.
Pérez then moved on to Boston, the place he spent the 2020 and 2021 seasons in the identical rotation with Eovaldi.
Pérez went 10-13 with a 4.65 ERA in two seasons with the Red Sox earlier than hitting free company once more. But Eovaldi mentioned he made an impression on him as a teammate.
“He has that same work ethic I feel I do and he’s always out there watching guys trying to help the younger guys and he understands that it’s not a me sport,” Eovaldi mentioned. “You know you have to put in your work.”
Eovaldi mentioned Pérez was “awesome” and was a type of gamers that may get “along with everybody.”
He watched Pérez undergo ups and downs whereas with the Red Sox, which was why it was gratifying for Eovaldi to look at Pérez’s nice 2022 from afar.
“In Boston, he didn’t finish the way he wanted to,” Eovaldi mentioned. “He was able to stay healthy and he came back over here and he reinvented himself and he’s one of those starters who’s able to take the ball every start and go out there and give you a good quality start.”
Pérez returned to the Rangers in 2022 and have become the rotation’s finest starter, going 12-8 with a career-low 2.89 ERA. He made 32 begins and his first All-Star Game look. He was additionally named the Rangers Pitcher of the Year for 2022. The Rangers retained him on a $19.65 million qualifying supply in free company.
Eovaldi is the fourth beginning pitcher the Rangers have acquired this offseason.
First was Mets ace Jacob deGrom, snagging him on a five-year, $185 million deal simply earlier than the winter conferences. Shortly after got here former Dodgers starter Andrew Heaney. Before that, the Rangers traded starter/reliever Kolby Allard to Atlanta for starter Jake Odorizzi, who’s within the possibility 12 months of his contract.
The 4 be a part of Pérez and Jon Gray, who signed as a free agent final offseason.
Eovaldi turns 33 subsequent month and went 6-3 with a 3.87 ERA in 20 begins for Boston in 2022. He was undefeated on the street (4-0) and his 2.64 street ERA was ninth-best within the American League.
He has a profession report of 67-68 with a 4.16 ERA with the Los Angeles Dodgers (2011-12), Miami (2012-14), the New York Yankees (2015-16), Tampa Bay (2018), and Boston (2018-22).
You can discover Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard
Catch up with Inside the Rangers on Facebook and Twitter.
Need to compensate for the Rangers? Check out our Texas Rangers Offseason Central Page!
story by Source link