SURPRISE, Ariz. — It's not even March, but Nathan Eovaldi looks ready for Opening Day.
The Texas Rangers right-hander, who is the club's presumed Opening Day starter, threw his second Cactus League game on Thursday, a 7-5 win over the Milwaukee Brewers at Surprise Stadium.
Eovaldi, who earned the win in the Rangers' Game 5 World Series title-clincher, struck out five and was especially effective despite allowing a run on two hits, including a run-scoring double in his third and final inning; he could have kept going.
In fact, Eovaldi went from the diamond to the bullpen after his three innings for 12 more pitches to push his pitch count up to the desired 50-pitch mark.
"I feel pretty good out there," said Eovaldi, who is likely to start the Rangers' season opener against the Chicago Cubs on March 28 at Globe Life Field in Arlington. "My fastball command was a lot better this time around. I'm making the mechanical adjustments that I needed to after the [first] outing where I can just repeat my delivery a little bit better."
Eovaldi showed off his four-pitch repertoire on Thursday and was happy with the feel of his split-fingered fastball. He threw more curveballs, a pitch he's trying to improve, "but it's still not really where I want it to be."
"Other than that third inning, I felt like everything was pretty good out there," he said.
The run-scoring double to Brock Wilken came on a cutter that caught more of the plate than he wanted. His fastball routinely hit the upper 90s.
"Nice work," Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said. "He's a power guy that has so much pitchability, and you saw him out there competing. Good to see him throwing the way he is right now. We knew he came in in great shape. So he's right where you want him to be. He's in a good place."
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