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Rangers Face Impossible Task Replacing Production, Impact of Nathan Eovaldi

Originally posted on Texas Rangers on SI
By Kenneth Teape | Last updated Aug 27, 2025 3:00 PM ET

The Texas Rangers' playoff hopes have been dwindling by the day since the MLB trade deadline, playing below .500 baseball since that point.

Entering play on Aug. 27, they are 67-67, six games behind the Houston Astros in the American League West. They are 4.5 games behind the Seattle Mariners, who are holding the final wild card spot in the AL. Ahead of them in the standings is also the Kansas City Royals, who are three games behind the Mariners.

With just over a month remaining in the regular season, there is certainly time for the Rangers to make a move. If their lineup heats up, as it did prior to the deadline in July, they are capable of stringing together wins. But their playoff hopes may have been delivered a final blow with the recent Nathan Eovaldi update.

Their ace may not be pitching again this year. It was revealed that he is dealing with a rotator cuff strain that could sideline him for the duration of the campaign. A legitimate AL Cy Young Award candidate, his loss is one that will be impossible for the team to overcome. Despite not being selected to the AL All-Star Team, he was treated as such in the eyes of the organization.

Nathan Eovaldi Has Been Amongst Most Impactful Players in MLB

Aces just don’t grow on trees. Texas has Jacob deGrom, who has been throwing the ball incredibly well, but he is dealing with some fatigue issues that led to him having 10 days off between his two most recent starts. Tyler Mahle is still on the injured list, too, creating a major issue for Bruce Bochy to figure out.

Replicating and replacing the production that Eovaldi provided will take a complete team effort. Other players, especially in the starting rotation, are going to have to step up and provide the team with truly elite performances to fill that void. Just how impactful has he been this year?

As shared by Thomas Nestico on X, there aren’t many players in the MLB who have impacted winning in as positive a manner as Eovaldi. His Win Probability Added through Aug. 25 was +3.91. That was good enough for eighth in baseball with Shohei Ohtani, Garrett Crochet, Freddie Freeman, Josh Hader, Paul Skenes, Cal Raleigh and Andres Munoz being the only players ahead of him.

Win Probability Added Leaders - Best & Worst pic.twitter.com/sMOwFEa8WF
— Thomas Nestico (@TJStats) August 26, 2025

Eovaldi’s production this year has been otherworldly. He leads the MLB with a .783 winning percentage, going 11-3 in 22 starts. Through 130 innings he registered a stellar 1.73 ERA to go along with 129 strikeouts. The 4.3 bWAR he recorded is tied for his best single-season mark in his career.

With their playoff hopes on life support, losing Eovaldi could very well the proverbial plug being pulled on the season.