The Texas Rangers will be without their veteran ace for today's game against the San Diego Padres.
Nathan Eovaldi was scratched from his scheduled start with what the team described as "a little" left knee soreness. MacKenzie Gore, who was originally scheduled to start Sunday, will move up a day and take the mound today. Sunday's starter has yet to be announced.
While losing Eovaldi for a game is frustrating, the Rangers will gladly take a few extra days of rest if that's all this turns out to be. The 36-year-old right-hander has dealt with numerous injuries throughout his 15-year MLB career.
Earlier this season, Eovaldi was scratched from a scheduled start against the Arizona Diamondbacks because of left side tightness.
He also missed the final two months of last season after suffering a rotator cuff strain. The Rangers must carefully manage both Eovaldi and Jacob deGrom, who are in the later stages of their careers. However, when both are healthy, they form one of the best one-two punches in baseball.
Although his numbers are not as dominant as last season, Eovaldi is still putting together another strong year. He is 6-7 with a 4.23 ERA across 87.1 innings. He has also recorded 83 strikeouts and a 1.17 WHIP.
Eovaldi has helped keep the Rangers competitive during an inconsistent season. Entering play Saturday, Texas sits at 36-39, three games under .500. The club also trails the Seattle Mariners by two games in the AL West.
Since winning the World Series in 2023, the Rangers have missed the postseason in each of the last two years. They are still searching for a new identity under manager Skip Schumaker after several changes throughout the organization.
It also has not helped that franchise shortstop Corey Seager continues to battle injuries. Seager returned on June 5 after missing 19 games with lower back inflammation. Five games later, the Rangers placed him back on the injured list after he suffered a concussion in a collision at home plate.
As long as Texas can stay afloat before the August 3 trade deadline, the club will likely be a buyer. The American League remains wide open, with only five teams currently above .500.
If the Rangers can reach October, they will be one of the league's most dangerous teams. A healthy Eovaldi and deGrom atop the rotation gives Texas as good a chance against anyone.
