Nathan Eovaldi
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Nathan Edward Eovaldi ( ; born February 13, 1990) is an American
professional baseball Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in baseball league, leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world. Mod ...
pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw ...
for the Texas Rangers of
Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
(MLB). He has played in MLB for the
Los Angeles Dodgers The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...
,
Miami Marlins The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The club's home ballpark is LoanDepot Park. The franc ...
,
New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Amer ...
,
Tampa Bay Rays The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. Since its inception ...
and
Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
. With the Red Sox, Eovaldi was a
World Series The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, contested since 1903 between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winner of the World ...
champion in 2018 and an All-Star in 2021.


Baseball career


Amateur career

Eovaldi attended
Alvin High School Alvin High School is a public high school located in the city of Alvin, Texas, United States and classified as a 6A school by the University Interscholastic League (UIL). It is a part of the Alvin Independent School District located in central ...
in
Alvin, Texas Alvin is a city in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land metropolitan area and Brazoria County. As of the 2020 U.S. Census, the city population was 27,098. Alvin's claim to fame is Baseball Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan, ...
, where he played for the school's baseball team. Eovaldi had
Tommy John surgery Ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, colloquially known as Tommy John surgery (TJS), is a surgical graft procedure where the ulnar collateral ligament in the medial elbow is replaced with either a tendon from elsewhere in the patient's bo ...
to repair the
ulnar collateral ligament Ulnar collateral ligament (or UCL), may refer to: * Ulnar carpal collateral ligament * Ulnar collateral ligament of elbow joint The ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) or internal lateral ligament is a thick triangular ligament at the medial aspec ...
in his right elbow during his junior year of high school. In 2008, Eovaldi's senior year, he was an honorable mention on Texas' All-State team. He committed to attend
Texas A&M University Texas A&M University (Texas A&M, A&M, or TAMU) is a public, land-grant, research university in College Station, Texas. It was founded in 1876 and became the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System in 1948. As of late 2021, T ...
on a
college baseball College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. In comparison to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a smaller role in developing professional pl ...
scholarship.


Los Angeles Dodgers

The
Los Angeles Dodgers The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...
selected Eovaldi in the 11th round of the
2008 MLB Draft The 2008 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft continued Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft of high school and college baseball players, and was held on June 5 and 6, 2008. First round selections ;Key Supplemental first rou ...
. His draft stock had fallen because of his first Tommy John surgery. Eovaldi signed with the Dodgers, receiving a $250,000
signing bonus A signing bonus or sign-on bonus is a sum of money paid to a new employee (including a professional sports person) by a company as an incentive to join that company. They are often given as a way of making a compensation package more attractive ...
, forgoing his commitment to Texas A&M. He made his way through the Dodgers'
farm system In sports, a farm team, farm system, feeder team, feeder club, or nursery club is generally a team or club whose role is to provide experience and training for young players, with an agreement that any successful players can move on to a higher ...
, pitching for the
Gulf Coast Dodgers The Arizona Complex League Dodgers are a Rookie-level affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers, competing in the Arizona Complex League of Minor League Baseball. The team plays its home games at Camelback Ranch in Phoenix, Arizona. The team is compo ...
of the Rookie-level
Gulf Coast League The Florida Complex League (FCL) is a rookie-level Minor League Baseball league that operates in Florida, United States. Before 2021, it was known as the Gulf Coast League (GCL). Together with the Arizona Complex League (ACL), it forms the lo ...
in 2008 and the
Great Lakes Loons The Great Lakes Loons are a Minor League Baseball team of the Midwest League and the High-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers. They are located in Midland, Michigan, and play their home games at Dow Diamond, which opened in April 2007. Histor ...
of the Class A
Midwest League The Midwest League is a Minor League Baseball league established in 1947 and based in the Midwestern United States. A Class A league for most of its history, the league was promoted to High-A as part of Major League Baseball's 2021 reorganizat ...
in 2009. In 2010, with the
Inland Empire 66ers of San Bernardino The Inland Empire 66ers of San Bernardino are a Minor League Baseball team of the California League and the Single-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels. The 66ers are based in San Bernardino, California, and play at San Manuel Stadium. Franchis ...
of the
Class A-Advanced High-A (officially Class High-A, formerly known as Class A-Advanced, and sometimes abbreviated "A+" in writing) is the third-highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States and Canada, below Triple-A and Double-A, and abov ...
California League The California League is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in California. Having been classified at various levels throughout its existence, it operated at Class A-Advanced from 1990 until its demotion to Single-A following Major Leag ...
, Eovaldi was selected to the mid-season California League all-star team. Eovaldi was promoted to the
Chattanooga Lookouts The Chattanooga Lookouts are a Minor League Baseball team of the Southern League and the Double-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. They are located in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and are named for nearby Lookout Mountain. The team plays its home g ...
of the
Class AA Double-A (officially Class AA) is the second-highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States since 1946, below only Triple-A. There are currently 30 teams classified at the Double-A level, one for each team in Major League ...
Southern League in 2011 and was selected to the mid-season all-star game. He had a 6–5
win–loss record In sports, a winning percentage is the fraction of games or matches a team or individual has won. The statistic is commonly used in standings or rankings to compare teams or individuals. It is defined as wins divided by the total number of match ...
with a 2.62
earned run average In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the average of earned runs allowed by a pitcher per nine innings pitched (i.e. the traditional length of a game). It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number ...
(ERA) for the Lookouts, where he started 19 games. He was also selected to the post-season All-Star team. Eovaldi was called up to the majors for the first time on August 6, 2011, and was the starting pitcher that night against the
Arizona Diamondbacks The Arizona Diamondbacks (colloquially known as the D-backs) are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The f ...
. In the game, he picked up the win, while pitching five innings, allowing only two runs while striking out seven. He also hit a single in his first major league at bat and scored a run. His seven strikeouts were tied for fourth in Dodgers' history for a major league debut and he was only the fourth Dodger pitcher to score a run in his debut since 1960. Eovaldi became the first Dodger starter since
Danny McDevitt Daniel Eugene McDevitt (November 18, 1932 – November 20, 2010) was an American pitcher in Major League Baseball who played from 1957 through 1962 for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, Minnesota Twins and Kansas City Athleti ...
in the 1957 season to start his career with four games of five innings or more while allowing two runs or less. He made 6 starts for the Dodgers and was then moved to the bullpen in order to keep his innings down for the season. He pitched in four games out of the bullpen late in the season. His 2011 totals included a 1–2 record and 3.63 ERA. After beginning the 2012 season with Chattanooga, Eovaldi made his first appearance of the season for the Dodgers on May 29 when he started against the
Milwaukee Brewers The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division. The Brewers are named for t ...
. He had four strikeouts, allowed 4 hits and 2 runs through 7 innings in a 1–2 loss. In 10 starts with the Dodgers, he had a 1–6 record with a 4.15 ERA.


Miami Marlins

On July 25, 2012, Eovaldi was traded, along with minor league pitcher
Scott McGough Scott Thomas McGough (born October 31, 1989) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut with the Miami Marlins in 2015. He also played for the Tokyo Yakult Swall ...
, to the
Miami Marlins The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The club's home ballpark is LoanDepot Park. The franc ...
for
Hanley Ramírez Hanley Ramírez (born December 23, 1983) is a Dominican-American former professional baseball shortstop. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Boston Red Sox, Florida / Miami Marlins, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Cleveland Indians. Ram ...
and
Randy Choate Randol Doyle Choate (born September 5, 1975) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. The New York Yankees selected him in the 1997 Major League Baseball (MLB) draft from Florida State University. Choate made his MLB debut for the Ya ...
. In his first game with the Marlins, he got the win vs the San Diego Padres on July 28. He started 12 games for the Marlins in 2012, with a 3–7 record and 4.43 ERA. He finished the season with a 4–13 record in 22 games with a 4.30 ERA, a 1.51
walks plus hits per inning pitched In baseball statistics, walks plus hits per inning pitched (WHIP) is a sabermetric measurement of the number of baserunners a pitcher has allowed per inning pitched. WHIP is calculated by adding the number of walks and hits allowed and dividi ...
(WHIP) ratio, 47 walks, and 78
strikeout In baseball or softball, a strikeout (or strike-out) occurs when a batter accumulates three strikes during a time at bat. It usually means that the batter is out. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters, and is deno ...
s in innings pitched. In 2013, Eovaldi had a 4–6 record with a 3.39 ERA and 78 strikeouts in 18 starts. In 2014, Eovaldi had a 6–14 record with a 4.37 ERA. He allowed 223
hits Hits or H.I.T.S. may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * ''H.I.T.S.'', 1991 album by New Kids on the Block * ''...Hits'' (Phil Collins album), 1998 * ''Hits'' (compilation series), 1984–2006; 2014 - a British compilation album se ...
, the most in the
National League The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team s ...
. He set new career highs with 33 games started and innings pitched.


New York Yankees

On December 19, 2014, the Marlins traded Eovaldi,
Garrett Jones Garrett Thomas Jones (born June 21, 1981) is an American former professional baseball first baseman and right fielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Minnesota Twins, Pittsburgh Pirates, Miami Marlins and New York Yankees. Hi ...
, and
Domingo Germán Domingo Germán Polanco (; born August 4, 1992) is a Dominican professional baseball pitcher for the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball (MLB). Germán was signed by the Florida Marlins as an international free agent in 2009. He made his ...
to the
New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Amer ...
for
Martín Prado Martín Manuel Prado Torcate (born October 27, 1983) is a Venezuelan former professional baseball third baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves, Arizona Diamondbacks, New York Yankees and Miami Marlins. During h ...
and David Phelps. Eovaldi made his first start for the Yankees on April 10, 2015, against the
Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
, where he pitched innings, allowing two runs on eight hits. He was credited with a
no decision A no decision (sometimes written no-decision) is one of either of two sports statistics scenarios; one in baseball and softball, and the other in boxing and related combat sports. Baseball and softball A starting pitcher who leaves a game withou ...
as the Yankees lost to the Red Sox, 6–5 in 19 innings. Eovaldi developed a
split-finger fastball A split-finger fastball or splitter is an off-speed pitch in baseball that looks to the batter like a fastball until it drops suddenly. Derived from the forkball, it is so named because the pitcher puts the index and middle finger on different ...
, which led to improved results. From June 20 through August 24, Eovaldi pitched to an 8–0 record with a 2.93 ERA. In September, Eovaldi experienced elbow inflammation, ending his regular season. For the 2015 Yankees, Eovaldi went 14–3 with a 4.20 ERA, pitching innings in 27 starts. Eovaldi was prepared to pitch in the ALDS, but the Yankees were eliminated in the
Wild Card Game The Wild Card Series (formerly known as Wild Card Game from 2012 to 2019 and in 2021) are games that serve as the opening round of the Major League Baseball (MLB) Major League Baseball postseason, postseason. A single wild card game was first ...
. On August 16, 2016, it was announced that Eovaldi would miss the remainder of the 2016 season due to a torn
flexor tendon A flexor is a muscle that flexes a joint. In anatomy, flexion (from the Latin verb ''flectere'', to bend) is a joint movement that decreases the angle between the bones that converge at the joint. For example, one’s elbow joint flexes when one ...
and partially-torn ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching (right) elbow. Several days later, the Yankees announced that Eovaldi had undergone his second Tommy John surgery. With the 2016 Yankees, Eovaldi made 24 appearances (21 starts), registering a 9–8 record with 4.76 ERA in innings pitched. He was expected to miss the 2017 season, after which he would have become eligible for
free agency In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...
. On November 23, the Yankees released Eovaldi.


Tampa Bay Rays

On February 14, 2017, Eovaldi signed a one-year, $2 million contract with the
Tampa Bay Rays The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. Since its inception ...
; the contract included a $2 million club option for the 2018 season. Eovaldi missed the entire 2017 season due to recovery from his prior elbow surgery. The Rays exercised the option going into the 2018 season. On March 28, 2018, it was revealed that Eovaldi was diagnosed with "loose bodies" in his elbow, and was ruled out indefinitely. On May 30, almost a year and a half since his last start, Eovaldi pitched against the
Oakland Athletics The Oakland Athletics (often referred to as the A's) are an American professional baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The te ...
, throwing six no-hit innings before being taken out due to
pitch count In baseball statistics, pitch count is the number of pitches thrown by a pitcher in a game. Pitch counts are especially a concern for young pitchers, pitchers recovering from injury, or pitchers who have a history of injuries. The pitcher wants ...
considerations. With the 2018 Rays, Eovaldi made 10 appearances (all starts) with a 4.26 ERA and 3–4 record, while recording 53 strikeouts and eight walks in 57 innings pitched.


Boston Red Sox


2018

On July 25, 2018, the Rays traded Eovaldi to the
Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
in exchange for
Jalen Beeks Jalen Christopher Beeks (born July 10, 1993) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Tampa Bay Rays of Major League Baseball (MLB). The Boston Red Sox selected Beeks in the 12th round of the 2014 MLB draft. He made his MLB debut in 2 ...
. Eovaldi made his Red Sox debut on July 29, going seven innings without giving up a run, as the Red Sox defeated the
Minnesota Twins The Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis. The Twins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central Division. The team is named after the Twin Cities area w ...
3–0. With the 2018 Red Sox, Eovaldi made 12 appearances (11 starts) with a 3.33 ERA and 3–3 record, striking out 48 in 54 innings. In the 2018 playoffs, Eovaldi pitched seven innings in Game 3 of the
Division Series The Division Series is the quarterfinal round of the Major League Baseball playoffs. Four series are played in this round, two each for both the American League and the National League. 1981 season The first use of the term "Division Series" date ...
against the
New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Amer ...
, which the Red Sox won 16–1, giving the Yankees their most lopsided loss in postseason history. In Game 3 of the
League Championship Series The League Championship Series (LCS) is the semifinal round of postseason play in Major League Baseball which has been conducted since 1969. In 1981, and since 1995, the two annual series have matched up the winners of the Division Series, and ...
against the
Houston Astros The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division, having moved to the division in 2013 after ...
, Eovaldi pitched six innings, allowing just two runs, as the Red Sox won 8–2. Eovaldi also pitched innings of relief in Game 5 as Boston clinched the series win. In the 2018 World Series against the
Los Angeles Dodgers The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...
, Eovaldi pitched eight shutout innings in Games 1 and 2. Although he was originally slated to start Game 4, Eovaldi ended up the final reliever in the 18-inning marathon Game 3, the longest game in World Series history. Eovaldi threw 97 pitches over six innings of relief before giving up a
walk-off home run In baseball, a walk-off home run is a home run that ends the game. For a home run to end the game, it must be hit in the bottom of the final inning of the game and generate enough runs to exceed the opponent's score. Because the opponent will not ...
to Max Muncy, which made him the losing pitcher. Eovaldi allowed three hits and one earned run, while throwing 36 more pitches than starter
Rick Porcello Frederick Alfred Porcello III (born December 27, 1988) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Detroit Tigers, Boston Red Sox and New York Mets. Selected by the Tigers in the 2007 MLB ...
. Eovaldi's 97 pitches set the record for the most in a World Series game by a reliever, and he became the first reliever to throw 6+ innings in a World Series game since
Rick Rhoden Richard Alan Rhoden (born May 16, 1953) is a professional golfer and former Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher. During his 16-year baseball career, he played for the Los Angeles Dodgers (1974–1978), the Pittsburgh Pirates (1979–1986), the Ne ...
did so in 1977. In the 13th inning, Boston had taken the lead but an error by
Ian Kinsler Ian Michael Kinsler ( he, איאן קינסלר; born June 22, 1982) is an American-Israeli former professional baseball Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for ...
allowed Los Angeles to tie the score, for which Kinsler later apologized to Eovaldi. Eovaldi received a standing ovation in Boston's clubhouse after the game. The Red Sox went on to win the next two games, winning the World Series in five games. After the World Series, Eovaldi filed for
free agency In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...
. On December 6, 2018, Eovaldi signed a four-year, $68 million contract to return to the Red Sox.


2019

Eovaldi started the 2019 season with a 6.00 ERA in four starts, all
no decision A no decision (sometimes written no-decision) is one of either of two sports statistics scenarios; one in baseball and softball, and the other in boxing and related combat sports. Baseball and softball A starting pitcher who leaves a game withou ...
s, before being placed on the
injured list In Major League Baseball (MLB), the injured list (IL) is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players. Before the 2019 season, it was known as the disabled list (DL). General guidelines ...
on April 20 due to a "loose body" (typically bone fragments) in his pitching (right) elbow. The Red Sox subsequently announced that Eovaldi would have surgery on April 23, and expected him to be out from four to six weeks. On June 25, Eovaldi was moved to the 60-day injured list. In early July, it was reported that the Red Sox would use Eovaldi in a closer role upon his return. He was sent on a rehabilitation assignment with the Triple-A
Pawtucket Red Sox The Pawtucket Red Sox, known colloquially as the PawSox, were a professional minor league baseball club based in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. From 1973 to 2020, the team was a member of the International League and served as the Triple-A affiliate ...
on July 18, and was activated two days later. Eovaldi made four relief appearances with Boston in late July, allowing five earned runs in innings pitched. The Red Sox subsequently listed
Brandon Workman Brandon Carlin Workman (born August 13, 1988) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut in 2013 and has played in MLB for the Boston Red Sox, Philadelphia Phillies, and Ch ...
as the closer on the team's depth chart. In mid-August, it was announced that Eovaldi would return to being a starter for the remainder of the season. Overall for the 2019 season, Eovaldi made 23 appearances (12 starts), recording a 5.99 ERA and 2–1 record with 70 strikeouts in innings.


2020

For the 2020 season, Eovaldi was named Boston's
Opening Day Opening Day is the day on which professional baseball leagues begin their regular season. For Major League Baseball (MLB) and most of the American minor leagues, this day typically falls during the first week of April, although in recent years ...
starter (delayed into July due to the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
) by manager
Ron Roenicke Ronald Jon Roenicke ( ; born August 19, 1956) is an American former professional baseball outfielder, coach, and manager. During his playing career, Roenicke played eight seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Seattle ...
. Eovaldi got the win in that game, pitching six innings while allowing five hits and one run, while striking out four batters, as the Red Sox defeated the
Baltimore Orioles The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. As one of the American L ...
, 13–2. On August 29, Eovaldi was placed on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to August 26, due to a right calf strain; he returned to the active roster on September 12. Overall with the 2020 Red Sox, Eovaldi appeared in nine games (all starts), compiling a 4–2 record with 3.72 ERA and 52 strikeouts in innings pitched.


2021

Eovaldi was Boston's Opening Day starter for the second year in a row, taking the loss as the Red Sox fell to the Orioles, 3–0. On July 4, he was named to the American League roster for the
MLB All-Star Game The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual professional baseball game sanctioned by Major League Baseball (MLB) and contested between the all-stars from the American League (AL) and National ...
. He finished the 2021 season with an 11–9 record, a 3.75 ERA and 195 strikeouts in innings. He gave up the fewest
walks per nine innings In baseball statistics, bases on balls per nine innings pitched (BB/9IP or BB/9) or walks per nine innings (denoted by W/9) is the average number of bases on balls, (or walks) given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by ...
of any major league pitcher, at 1.73. His 54 doubles allowed also led the major leagues. Eovaldi was the winning pitcher in the AL Wild Card Game, striking out eight batters and giving up four hits and one run in innings over the Yankees. He made one start in the
Division Series The Division Series is the quarterfinal round of the Major League Baseball playoffs. Four series are played in this round, two each for both the American League and the National League. 1981 season The first use of the term "Division Series" date ...
, a no decision against Tampa Bay, and three appearances (two starts) in the
League Championship Series The League Championship Series (LCS) is the semifinal round of postseason play in Major League Baseball which has been conducted since 1969. In 1981, and since 1995, the two annual series have matched up the winners of the Division Series, and ...
, going 1–2 against Houston as the Red Sox were defeated in six games. Eovaldi finished fourth in American League
Cy Young Award The Cy Young Award is given annually to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball (MLB), one each for the American League (AL) and National League (NL). The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall ...
voting after the season.


2022

Eovaldi was Boston's Opening Day starter for the third year in a row, becoming the 10th Red Sox pitcher to do so. Facing
Gerrit Cole Gerrit Alan Cole (born September 8, 1990) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Houston Astros. Cole played for the baseball team ...
and the Yankees, he went five innings and allowed three runs on five hits, ending with a no decision after Boston lost in extra innings, 6–5. On May 17, he became the third MLB pitcher (after Chase Anderson and
Michael Blazek Michael Robert Blazek (born March 16, 1989) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals, Milwaukee Brewers, and Washington Nationals. Career Blazek attended Arbor View ...
) to ever allow five home runs in one inning, doing so against the
Houston Astros The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division, having moved to the division in 2013 after ...
; in total, he allowed eight hits and six earned runs in innings in the eventual 13–4 loss. On May 28, Eovaldi threw his first major-league
complete game In baseball, a complete game (CG) is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher. A pitcher who meets this criterion will be credited with a complete game regardless of the number of innings played—pitche ...
in a 5–3 win against the Baltimore Orioles—he allowed seven hits, two earned runs, struck out six batters, and only issued one walk while throwing 108 pitches. On June 12, he was placed on the injured list with lower-back inflammation. He was reactivated by the team on July 15. Eovaldi returned to the injured list on August 23, due to right shoulder inflammation; he rejoined the team on September 29. In 20 starts with Boston during 2022, Eovaldi compiled a 6–3 record with 3.87 ERA while striking out 103 batters in innings. In early November 2022, Eovaldi elected to become a free agent.


Texas Rangers

On December 27, 2022, Eovaldi signed a two-year contract, with a third year vesting player option, with the Texas Rangers worth $34 million guaranteed.


Pitching style

As a starting pitcher, Eovaldi is associated primarily with his electric four-seam
fastball The fastball is the most common type of pitch thrown by pitchers in baseball and softball. "Power pitchers," such as former American major leaguers Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, rely on speed to prevent the ball from being hit, and have thro ...
, which he throws at speeds that regularly approach 100 miles per hour. Although a pitcher with his high-velocity fastball would traditionally be labeled as a power pitcher, Eovaldi has not, for most of his career, accumulated the high
strikeout In baseball or softball, a strikeout (or strike-out) occurs when a batter accumulates three strikes during a time at bat. It usually means that the batter is out. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters, and is deno ...
totals associated with fellow hard-throwing right-handers like
Jacob DeGrom Jacob Anthony deGrom (born June 19, 1988), is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the New York Mets. Prior to playing professionally, deGrom attend ...
and
Justin Verlander Justin Brooks Verlander ( ; born February 20, 1983) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Detroit Tigers and Houston Astros. From Manakin-Sabot, ...
. This phenomenon is explained by Eovaldi's regular use of his wide secondary arsenal to complement his fastball. Eovaldi throws a
slider Slider or Sliders may refer to: Arts * K.K. Slider, a fictional character within the ''Animal Crossing'' franchise * '' The Slider'', a 1972 album by T. Rex * ''Sliders'' (TV series), an American science fiction and fantasy television series * ...
in the mid to high 80s, a
cut fastball In baseball, a cut fastball or cutter is a type of fastball that breaks toward the pitcher's glove-hand side, as it reaches home plate. This pitch is somewhere between a slider and a four-seam fastball, as it is usually thrown faster than a slider ...
in the low 90s, a
curveball In baseball and softball, the curveball is a type of pitch thrown with a characteristic grip and hand movement that imparts forward spin to the ball, causing it to dive as it approaches the plate. Varieties of curveball include the 12–6 curve ...
in the high 70s, and a
split-finger fastball A split-finger fastball or splitter is an off-speed pitch in baseball that looks to the batter like a fastball until it drops suddenly. Derived from the forkball, it is so named because the pitcher puts the index and middle finger on different ...
in the high 80s, giving him a total of five distinct pitches. In 2021, he was the only pitcher to throw five different pitches at a rate of 10% or higher. Rather than exclusively trying overwhelm his hitters with a combination of hard fastballs in the
strike zone In baseball, the strike zone is the volume of space through which a pitch must pass in order to be called a strike even if the batter does not swing. The strike zone is defined as the volume of space above home plate and between the batter's kn ...
and sliders thrown out of the zone, Eovaldi throws all five of his pitches within the strike zone in an effort to generate weak swings that result in ground balls or popups. The amount of weak bat-to-ball contact that Eovaldi generates is due to the difficulty of predicting which of his five distinct pitches will be thrown at a given time, leading even the most accomplished hitters to guess incorrectly and swing at a slow curveball when expecting a splitter, for example.


Personal life

Eovaldi and his wife, Rebekah, have one son and one daughter and reside in
Houston Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...
.


References


External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Eovaldi, Nathan 1990 births Living people American League All-Stars People from Brazoria County, Texas Baseball players from Texas Major League Baseball pitchers Los Angeles Dodgers players Miami Marlins players New York Yankees players Tampa Bay Rays players Boston Red Sox players Gulf Coast Dodgers players Ogden Raptors players Great Lakes Loons players Arizona League Dodgers players Inland Empire 66ers of San Bernardino players Chattanooga Lookouts players Jupiter Hammerheads players Jacksonville Suns players Charlotte Stone Crabs players Durham Bulls players Pawtucket Red Sox players American sportspeople of Italian descent