Texas Rangers Remain Hopeful Re-Signing Free Agent Nathaniel Eovaldi Fits Tight Budget

Texas Rangers right-hander Nathaniel Eovaldi is a free agent after declining his $20 million option for 2025. Rangers front office hopes to lure him back.

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. Mandatory Credit: Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images / Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images

Nathan Eovaldi is officially a free agent.

And the Texas Rangers hope it's not for long.

Eovaldi, the Rangers best pitcher over the past two seasons, declined his $20 million player option for 2025, club president Chris Young announced Monday morning. The move is not a surprise. Eovaldi is likely to fetch a multi-year contract closer to $30 million.

Eovaldi, who turns 35 in February, has been the club's most reliable starting pitcher the past two seasons, and was integral to the Rangers winning the World Series in 2023. In his two seasons with Texas, Eovaldi was 24-13 with a 3.72 ERA. He earned $16 million in each of the past two seasons after signing a two-year deal with Texas on Dec. 27, 2022.

"We still have great interest in bringing him back," Young said. "We expected that, and we're still going to work towards, hopefully, getting him back in a Ranger's uniform."

Eovaldi said after his final start of 2024 that he would love to return to the Rangers. He was born in Houston and grew up in Alvin.

Whether the Rangers have the financial blessing from owner Ray Davis to make a push for Eovaldi or another upper tier starting pitcher remains to be seen.

Young believes he will.

"The answer is yes," he said. "Ownership has always been supportive of us, especially the last couple of years here, and we're very confident with where our payroll will be, that we're going to put a winning team out on the field and compete for a division title and hopefully a championship."

Young had no update available regarding the club's new broadcast plans, with Bally Sports Southwest in the rearview mirror. That uncertainty, however, could hinder the club's free agent spending.

"We're cognizant of the uncertainty financially that the organization has been through and ownership and Ray [Davis] feels that on a daily basis -- he almost apologizes to me on a daily basis -- but the [Bally Sports] situation was something beyond his control. But we're going to make the most of it. And no matter what, I truly believe that we will have the resources to compete and be successful."

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