As the MLB regular season winds down, the Texas Rangers remain on the outside of the American League wild-card picture.
Desperate for a crucial win on Friday, they leaned on ace Nathan Eovaldi, who delivered another dominant outing.
While he didn’t get the decision, Eovaldi threw seven innings of one-run ball with nine strikeouts, setting the tone for a 4-3 walk-off victory over the Cleveland Guardians at Globe Life Field.
After losing the lead late, Texas rallied in the ninth with three straight hits, capped by Joc Pederson’s game-winning double.
Manager Bruce Bochy praised Eovaldi, noting his Cy Young-worthy performance and his leadership on the mound.
Eovaldi, in the midst of a career-best season, holds an 11-3 record with a sparkling 1.73 ERA.
Texas has won his last nine starts, and his current ERA not only leads the majors but also puts him on pace to shatter the Rangers’ single-season record (2.17).
His recent stretch earned him AL Pitcher of the Month honors in July, and he continues to anchor a rotation he believes is capable of carrying the team into October.
Evan Carter
Despite his dominance, oddsmakers still list him as a long shot for the Cy Young Award, with Detroit’s Tarik Skubal emerging as the clear favorite.
Eovaldi, however, remains focused on the postseason push, emphasizing consistency and team success over personal accolades.
The Rangers, now 64-66 and 5.5 games out of a playoff spot, are battling adversity.
The offense has struggled, and injuries to key players—including Evan Carter (wrist fracture, likely out for the year) and Marcus Semien (foot contusion)—add to the challenge.
With two games left in their series against Cleveland, Texas is running out of time to spark a late-season surge.
