Nathan Eovaldi Sees Texas Rangers as 'Special and Dangerous'

Nathan Eovaldi is one of many reasons the Texas Rangers are at the top of the American League West Division.

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For the second time this season, Texas Rangers starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi was asked about this team’s potential, and he didn’t mince words.

He called the team “very special and dangerous” in a Q&A with MLB.com while the Rangers were in New York to face the Yankees.

The Rangers, currently facing the Detroit Tigers, are maintaining their lead in the American League West and finish the homestand with four crucial games against the Houston Astros.

Eovaldi (9-3, 2.82 ERA) will probably pitch the opener the Houston series. While he's clearly the ace of the staff in the wake of Jacob deGrom's season-ending surgery, Eovaldi shied away from that label.

"I love pitching in the big games, big moments," he said. "I think all of the guys that we have in the rotation have that opportunity to be the ace. … That’s what makes our rotation so special. We have a lot of experience. With our offense, that makes us very special and dangerous."

Earlier this season, he compared the Rangers to the 2018 Boston Red Sox that he played on and won the World Series.

Eovaldi was one of several players the Rangers brought in this offseason, most notably in the rotation. Andrew Heaney has been solid, along with deGrom replacement Dane Dunning. Jon Gray and Martín Pérez have also held their own.

Eovaldi is bullish on the Rangers’ chances come October.

"I believe we can go all the way. We felt that from Spring Training," he said. "We knew the talent that we have. It was just coming together because of (Rangers manager Bruce Bochy).

"… We knew we could hit. We knew that last year. The guys were able to score a lot of runs. It gets overlooked because we gave up so many more runs. Now, everything is coming together. We plan to take it the whole way."

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