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Rangers’ Nathan Eovaldi gets brutally honest after defeating Braves

Originally posted on MLB on ClutchPoints
By Zachary Weinberger | Last updated Jul 26, 2025 10:33 AM ET

With some arguing that Texas Rangers pitcher Nathan Eovaldi should’ve been an All-Star, he proved it once again on Friday night in an impressive showcase in the team’s 8-3 win over the Atlanta Braves. As fans predict the activity level for the Rangers ahead of the trade deadline, Eovaldi first spoke about his outing against the Braves and was 100 percent candid in his thoughts.

He would pitch five scoreless innings to go along with seven strikeouts, though he allowed four walks and three hits. Eovaldi has continued the recent success that Texas has sustained after the All-Star break, marking Friday’s win as the sixth in the last seven games after a disappointing start to the season.

“Every win down the road matters right now,” Eovaldi said, according to MLB.com. “We know how we started out. We know we weren’t playing our best baseball. We’re playing better now, and we got to keep everything rolling. I think the starters feed off of each other. We go out there, and you set the tone, and the bullpen has been great for us. We’re just trying to keep the score in our favor and let the offense do their thing.”

Eovaldi was in a dire situation in the fifth inning, as he allowed a walk and a base hit, which was then followed by a wild pitch that put both runners in scoring position. However, he would strike out Ronald Acuna Jr. in an eight-pitch at-bat to keep the lead.

“It wasn’t pretty, but we were able to make it work where we could,” Eovaldi said. “Double play ball in one situation, a couple big strikeouts. I’m not really sure what was going on out there. Mechanically, I felt like I was all over the place.”

Rangers’ Nathan Eovaldi performed well under pressure

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi (17) pitches against the Atlanta Braves during the first inning at Globe Life Field. Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The veteran pitcher has no doubt made his mark with the team, as the Rangers gave Eovaldi an All-Star bonus as part of his contract, despite him not making it. Eovaldi is in the midst of a productive season, recording a 1.50 ERA to go along with 101 strikeouts and an 8-3 record.

Still, Eovaldi had some concerning moments in Friday’s performance with the aforementioned four walks and allowing three hits. However, he would play well under pressure, and hitters on Atlanta were zero-for-seven when runners were in scoring position.

“He looked like he was kind of battling himself out there, but he made pitches when he needed to,” Texas catcher Jonah Heim said. “That’s what he does. When he doesn’t have his A+ stuff, he finds a way to get it done. He got through five scoreless [innings] and handed it off to our bullpen. Sometimes, you just gotta deal with what you got on the mound. And I thought he did a great job navigating that lineup.”

The Rangers’ series against the Braves continues on Saturday night.

This article first appeared on MLB on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

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