Texas Rangers Bring Back Nathan Eovaldi on Three-year, $75 Million Deal

The Texas Rangers are making sure they keep one of the key figures from their World Series championship team from one year ago. In their first big move of the offseason, the Rangers are reportedly re-signing Nathan Eovaldi on a three-year, $75 million deal.

Eovaldi is coming off two solid seasons with the Rangers, for which he has pitched to a 3.72 ERA across 54 starts and 314 2/3 innings pitched. Eovaldi was an All-Star for the Rangers in 2023, but ended up being limited to 24 starts.

He got healthy when it mattered most, pitching to a 2.95 ERA in 36 2/3 innings across six starts. He went 5-0, as the Rangers won nearly all of his playoff starts.

This past season, Eovaldi made 29 starts and pitched to a 3.80 ERA across 170 2/3 innings pitched. While Eovaldi was not seen as one of the absolute top pitchers on the market, he was one of the better arms in the second tier of free agent starters, which also includes Sean Manaea, Jack Flaherty and Nick Pivetta.

What’s This Mean for the Rangers Rotation?

The Texas Rangers have the potential for a great starting rotation, but one that comes with plenty of volatility. Jacob deGrom is entering what will be his first full season coming off Tommy John surgery, where he should be a Cy Young candidate assuming health.

Like deGrom, Tyler Mahle is also entering his first full season off of TJ, and Cody Bradford returns to the rotation after an injury-plagued year as well.

Top prospect Kumar Rocker is expected to play a major role in the Rangers rotation for the first time, but you always have to temper your expectations when it comes to 25-year-old’s who haven’t endured the struggles of a 162-game season.

Adding Eovaldi back into the fold gives the Rangers the highest-floor arm in their rotation, who can be counted on to stay on the mound and give them 140+ innings at least.

The Rangers came into this offseason with a need to cut payroll, but this move clearly does the opposite of that. Eovaldi will make $25 million per season, which brings the Rangers rotation to around $95 million of salary altogether when you factor in $40 million for deGrom, $16.5 million for Mahle and $13 million for Jon Gray.

Gray is a name to watch out for on the trade block now that the Eovaldi deal is in place, as he will be a free agent after the 2025 season, and could have a market when you consider the cost of starting pitching in free agency right now.

Regardless, the Rangers bring back a leader of their rotation, who should play a big role in their attempts to get back into the playoffs again in 2025 and beyond.