National League Power Shows Interest In Star Texas Rangers Free Agent Nathan Eovaldi

The Texas Rangers are sure to have competition as they try and lure their top free-agent pitcher back for 2025.

Sep 24, 2024; Oakland, California, USA; Texas Rangers starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi (17) delivers a pitch against the Oakland Athletics during the first inning at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. / Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images

At least one National League contender has Texas Rangers free-agent pitcher Nathan Eovaldi at the top of their shopping list, according to MLB.com.

The Atlanta Braves — who will be without one of their top pitchers for at least part of the 2025 season — are expected to make a push for Eovaldi, who just declined the $20 million vesting option on his Rangers contract.

Texas president of baseball operations Chris Young said Monday that Eovaldi remains high on the club's list to re-sign.

Eovaldi had a vesting option in the deal he signed before the 2023 season, one that required him to pitch 300 innings in the last two seasons. He threw 314.2 innings to trigger the option.

As s Rangers starter, he went 24-13 with a 3.72 ERA in 54 starts.

In 2024, he struck out 24% of the hitters he faced, his best rate since 2021 with Boston. He went 12-8 with a 3.80 ERA in 170 2/3 innings with 166 strikeouts.

During the Rangers’ 2023 season, one in which Texas won its first World Series title, he was 12-5 with a 3.63 ERA in 25 starts, with 132 strikeouts in 144 innings. He burnished his postseason credentials as he posted another impressive playoff run, as he went 5-0 in six playoff starts.

His postseason history is only part of the reason Atlanta, Texas and other teams will chase the Alvin, Texas, native, who will be in his age 35 season in 2025. In the playoffs, Eovaldi has a career record of 9-1 with a 2.85 ERA in 12 starts. He also won a World Series ring with Boston in 2018.

There is a tie to that Boston team in the Atlanta rotation. Chris Sale, who was in the Red Sox’s rotation with Eovaldi, is with the Braves.

Atlanta is in the market for pitching for a few reasons. Their Cy Young winner, Spencer Strider, had elbow surgery early in 2024 and will miss part of next season. The Braves could also lose two pitchers to free agency — Max Fried and Charlie Morton.