Rangers Star Pitcher Left Off All-Star Team Despite Numbers To Back Up Case

It has not been the best season for the Texas Rangers so far, but one of the bright spots has been the pitching staff, and especially right-hander Nathan Eovaldi during one of the best years of his career.

This year, he has posted a 1.62 ERA in just over 83 innings pitched. He’s started in 15 games and has finished a respectable 6-3. Eovaldi has struck out 86 batters and has held their batting average to a .194 while only walking 13. Only four home runs have been hit off the pitcher this season. 

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Team radio broadcaster Jared Sandler reported his personal frustrations with the All-Star snub. Eovaldi’s ERA ranks first in the American League while his WHIP (.85), OBP (.238), SLG (.281) and OPS (.519) all rank second in the AL. 

So, why wasn’t he selected? Critics say that it’s because he hasn’t pitched enough innings. However, the requirements for an All-Star selection is a minimum of 80 full innings pitched. A reminder that he has over 83. 

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Typically, in all professional sports, players who are on a poor performing team usually have a much harder chance to get selected and that is probably what it comes down to. 

The Rangers pitching staff has the third least amount of strikeouts in the AL better than only the Los Angeles Angels and the Chicago White Sox, but their ERA is actually the best in the AL at 3.23.

They’re also right near the top of the list in collective opposing batting average at .228, with the lowest in the AL being .224. 

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Those aren’t the only categories their staff is doing well in. They’re the only team to have less than 80 home runs on the season. The next lowest is the Boston Red Sox with 10 more allowed. There are also only three teams in the AL whose pitching staff has less than 700 hits and the Rangers are one. 

So, it really isn’t the pitching staff who is performing poorly, but mainly their offense. They sit third in the AL West at 45-47. The Los Angeles Angels are behind them in the standings and that’s who they are taking on right now in a four-game stretch.

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The Rangers will then travel to Houston to take on the Astros before the All-Star break. Texas is only 3.5 games back in the Wild Card race, so their post season hopes are still quite alive. 

Perhaps Eovaldi can use his recent newfound motivation to have another huge second half and help the Rangers get things fully on track.

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