Texas’ Nathan Eovaldi will look to write another chapter of his amazing book for the 2025 season when he pitches for the Rangers against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday night in the opener of a three-game interleague series in Arlington, Texas.
Eovaldi (10-3, 1.38 ERA) will oppose Arizona’s Ryne Nelson (6-3, 3.20) in a battle of right-handers.
The Rangers were swept by Philadelphia over the weekend and have lost four consecutive games. Texas fell 4-2 on Sunday to drop to 2-4 over the first six contests of its nine-game homestand.
Arizona heads to Arlington after a three-game home sweep of Colorado that included a 13-6 win on Sunday. Monday’s clash will be the first of a seven-game trip for the Diamondbacks. The trek will end with four more games against the Rockies.
Eovaldi, 35, has been dominant for Texas. His most recent outing was a 2-0 defeat of the New York Yankees on Tuesday, in which he pitched eight one-hit innings. He struck out six and did not allow a walk and has won his past six starts.
Eovaldi’s ERA, which he’s lowered from 1.87 to 1.38 over that span, would lead Major League Baseball if he had pitched enough innings to qualify. He has allowed just three runs (two earned) since June 27 and is one of two pitchers in the modern era (along with St. Louis’ Bob Gibson in 1968) to allow one run or less in 13 starts in a 14-start span.
A right triceps ailment that kept him out one month has left Eovaldi just short of the innings requirement, though he easily will qualify provided he stays healthy and adds on the innings.
“He’s just an artist out there,” Texas manager Bruce Bochy said about Eovaldi. “His pitchability, his command, his focus, the way he reads swings, he can adjust on the fly, all those things. You’ve got four pitches with command of all of them that he can throw anytime. That’s why he’s having so much success.”
Bochy continued: “I don’t know what else to say about him. He’s fun to watch. You’re seeing pitching at his finest when he’s out there.”
Eovaldi is 3-1 with a 3.57 ERA over 40 1/3 innings in 10 lifetime appearances (seven starts) against the Diamondbacks. His most recent start against them came on Sept. 10, 2024, when he gave up four runs on seven hits over five innings and took a 6-0 loss.
His last win against the Diamondbacks came five years ago, when he pitched for the New York Yankees.
Nelson has made 24 appearances (14 starts) this season, starting the past 11 games in a row. He’s 0-1 in his past three outings, allowing six runs (three earned) over 17 innings. His most recent start was on Tuesday when he allowed two runs on six hits over 5 2/3 innings in a game the Diamondbacks lost 10-5 to San Diego in 11 innings.
Nelson delivered a season-high 100 pitches in that game. The Diamondbacks have been limiting his pitches as he builds his strength as a starter.
“I’m fully on board with what they’re doing,” Nelson, 27, said of the team’s pitch limit on him. “I was surprised to get to 100. I know they’re looking out for me and my future and my health. Whatever decisions they make, I’m on board with.”
Nelson lost his only career appearance against Texas, surrendering four runs on five hits and three walks while striking out three in six innings on May 29, 2024, in a 6-1 game.
–Field Level Media
