Next Step: Texas Rangers Ace Nathan Eovaldi Throws Live Batting Practice

Texas Rangers starter Nathan Eovaldi took the next significant step on his way back from the injured list.

Texas Rangers pitcher Nathan Eovaldi threw live batting practice on Monday in advance of the game at the Arizona Diamondbacks, per multiple reports.

This past weekend in Arlington, Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said the next step was for Eovaldi to throw BP in Arizona, most likely on Tuesday. Eovaldi — currently on the 15-day injured list — threw his last bullpen session on Friday, so throwing Monday kept him on time with his current cadence of throwing every three days.

Eovaldi threw the equivalent of two innings, per The Dallas Morning News.

MLB.com reported that both Eovaldi and Bochy reported the session went well but both were non-committal on a date for the right-hander’s return.

Bochy said over the weekend that a pitcher’s physical health the day after a throwing session is just as important as the immediate reaction to the session. But the Rangers aren’t ruling out Eovaldi joining the rotation without a rehab assignment.

Eovaldi threw a 40-pitch session on Friday. Before that, he threw a bullpen session on Tuesday and threw two bullpen sessions on the Rangers road trip to Oakland and San Francisco, which preceded the now-concluded homestand.

The Rangers are on a nine-game road trip, which includes two games in Arizona, four at the Minnesota Twins and three against the New York Mets. The only off-day on the trip is Wednesday.

Jordan Montgomery is set to start on Monday and Jon Gray is going Tuesday. From there, the Rangers have Andrew Heaney, Dane Dunning and Max Scherzer in line to start the first three games in Minnesota.

Eovaldi’s forearm strain that put him on the injured list on July 30. Before that the Rangers skipped his start during a road series in Houston in an effort to give him more rest.

Eovaldi has made just one start since the All-Star break, throwing six shutout innings on July 18 in a win over Tampa Bay at Globe Life Field. Eovaldi, who had become the staff ace, is 11-3 with a 2.69 ERA for the season.

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