Nathan Eovaldi’s Value to Rangers Explained by His Magnificent May

For the next couple of weeks, the Texas Rangers will have to get by without right-hander Nathan Eovaldi in the rotation.

The Texas starting rotation has been incredible the past two months. Three of the starters — including Eovaldi — are among the leaders in earned run average in the American League.

But Eovaldi has been on another level, even when set against two-time Cy Young winner Jacob deGrom, who has been excellent all season.

Yet, Eovaldi was the Rangers’ best pitcher in the month of May, and it’s easy to see why.

Nathan Eovaldi Leads Rangers in May

Eovaldi made five starts in May. In 26.2 innings, he finished with a 0.68 ERA as he allowed just two earned runs. He only gave up 16 hits and struck out 27 hitters against seven walks for a 9.1 K/9. He finished with a 2-1 record and had three quality starts.

For the season, Eovaldi is 4-3 with a 1.56 ERA in 12 starts with 73 strikeouts and 10 walks in 69.1 innings.

He re-signed with the Rangers on a three-year, $75 million deal in the offseason and he’s been worth every penny as Texas boasts one of the best-performing rotations in baseball.

He’s been on the 15-day IL once each of the past two seasons. Eovaldi missed a month with a right forearm strain in 2023 and missed nearly a month with a right groin strain last year.

Texas put him on the 15-day IL on Sunday with what the Rangers are calling right posterior elbow inflammation. Texas moved Codi Heuer onto the 40-man roster and put him on the 26-man roster to take his place — for now.

With Eovaldi out, the Rangers intend to activate Kumar Rocker from the 15-day injured list and start him in the veteran’s place in the rotation when the Rangers are in Tampa Bay to face the Rays starting on Tuesday.

President of baseball operations Chris Young believes Eovaldi will only need 15 days to get over what they consider to be a minor injury. His injured list stint is back dated to May 29.

However long it takes, the Rangers will miss the two-time World Series champion. He won a ring with Texas in 2023 and another with the Boston Red Sox in 2018.