Rangers activate Nathan Eovaldi to start 3 innings in World Series rematch instead of a rehab game
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Nathan Eovaldi came off the injured list to start a World Series rematch for the Texas Rangers rather than pitch a rehab game in the minor leagues.
“I felt good, I was definitely excited to be back on the mound,” Eovaldi said after throwing 27 of his 37 pitches for strikes in three innings at the Rangers’ 4-2 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday night.
In his first game since May 2, Eovaldi struck out two hits with no walks while allowing two runs on five hits. He left with the Rangers down 2-1 and was replaced by left-hander Andrew Heaney in the top of the fourth inning. Eovaldi had no decision.
“It’s great to see Nate out there,” coach Bruce Bochy said. “His stuff was good for three innings.”
Eovaldi hadn’t started a game since departing after 5 1/3 scoreless innings against Washington. He went on the 15-day injured list the next day with a right groin strain.
Bochy had indicated to reporters over the weekend that Eovaldi would pitch elsewhere before returning to the Rangers rotation. That changed after conversations with Eovaldi on Sunday, before the team returned home from Minnesota and had a day off.
Asked about those conversations after the Arizona game, Eovaldi said pitching coach Mike Maddux asked him if he was 100 percent — “I said yes,” the pitcher responded.
Although Eovaldi worked to throw 60-70 pitches in the bullpen and wanted to throw another inning, Bochy said the plan was for about three innings.
“Mike doesn’t really let me know exactly what the limit will be or anything like that. So I was just trying to work fast and keep the count down,” Eovaldi said. “I thought it was low enough to get back there for a quarter, but I think it was three innings or a pitch count, which I still don’t know what that is. But we were in a good place.”
Eovaldi struck out seven over a nine-pitch first, but Arizona opened the second with back-to-back doubles. The second run came home on a foul that turned into a sacrifice fly when first baseman Nathaniel Lowe made an over-the-shoulder catch while walking away from the base.
An All-Star last season in his Rangers debut, Eovaldi threw six scoreless innings and was the winning pitcher in the winning Game 5 of the World Series to Texas over the Diamondbacks on Nov. 1. He allowed five runs in 4 2/3 innings in the series opener that the Rangers won in extra innings.
Bochy said Dane Dunning (3-3, 4.43 ERA) would pitch Wednesday in the finale of the two games against the Diamondbacks. It will be his second start after a 15-day stint on the IL due to a strained right rotator cuff, although that was expected on Tuesday.
“We wanted to give Dane an extra day. He achieved very good things there in Minnesota, he was very sick,” said Bochy before the game. “So yes, there were some variables involved.”
___
APMLB:
