Ex-Red Sox Star Pitcher Signs With Rangers; Boston's Options Running Out

The top free agent available is off the board

Scott Neville | Dec 28, 2022

Ex-Red Sox Star Pitcher Signs With Rangers; Boston's Options Running Out /

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The Boston Red Sox entered Tuesday with three-fifths of the 2022 Opening Day rotation in the free agency pool.

Just one day later, only one option remains.

"Free-agent pitcher Nathan Eovaldi and the Texas Rangers are in agreement on a contract, according to sources familiar with the deal," FanSided's Robert Murray tweeted Tuesday.

The deal is for two years, $34 million with a vesting option and incentives that could go up to three years, $63 million according to ESPN's Jeff Passan.

Eovaldi went 6-3 with a 3.87 ERA, 103-to-20 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .264 batting average against and 1.23 WHIP in 109 1/3 innings across 20 starts. He battled multiple injuries last season but was fairly effective when healthy.

The news came just hours after left-handed pitcher Rich Hill reportedly agreed to terms with the Pittsburgh Pirates, leaving Michael Wacha as the last remaining Red Sox pitcher in free agency.

Eovaldi was the top free agent on the market and his departure leaves the Red Sox rotation in a rough spot.

Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom appears to be banking on comeback seasons from oft-injured veterans and breakout seasons from some young guns that have shown plenty to be excited about.

The 32-year-old's departure also continues the trend of the Red Sox parting ways with their old core.

Boston has said goodbye to shortstop Xander Bogaerts, catcher Christian Vázquez, designated hitter J.D. Martinez and now Eovaldi between the Major League Baseball trade deadline and the ongoing and disheartening offseason.

It won't be long before fans find out if Bloom's emphasis on building a strong farm system leads them to the next championship, or crumbles an organization with only one true star remaining on the roster -- Rafael Devers.

Someone who could be gone this time next year if things continue to go in the direction they've been going.

More MLB: Ex-Red Sox Pitcher Reportedly Signs With Pirates To Continue Storied Career

Published Dec 28, 2022

SCOTT NEVILLE

Scott Neville covers the Boston Red Sox for Sports Illustrated's new page "Inside The Red Sox." Before starting "Inside The Red Sox", Neville attended Merrimack College, where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Communication and Media with a minor in Marketing. Neville spent all four years with Merrimack's radio station WMCK, where he grew as a radio/podcast host and producer. His propensity for being in front of a microphone eventually expanded to film, where he produced multiple short films alongside his then-roommate and current co-worker Stephen Mottram. On a journey that began as a way to receive easy credits via film classes, he received a call from "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia" star Charlie Day. Day advised him to make a feature-length film, which he completed his senior year. While writing the film, Neville completed an internship for United Way as part of their NFL Partnership Program. Neville ran the blog for a team of interns and hosted an internet show called "United Way's NFL Partnership Series" where he interviewed NFL alumni. After college Neville wrote for SB Nation's "Over The Monster," a Red Sox sister site of the flagship brand. His work would eventually lead him to a job as a content producer with NESN, where he would cover all sports. After developing as a writer with the top regional network in the world, he was given the opportunity to join the Sports Illustrated Media Group in his current endeavor as the publisher of "Inside The Red Sox." The successful launch and quick rise of "Inside The Red Sox" led to Neville joining the Baseball Essential ownership group, a national baseball site under SIMG. Follow him on Twitter: @ScottNeville46 Email: nevilles@merrimack.edu