Eovaldi’s first start with Texas Rangers was a promising performance

Nathan Eovaldi made his first start with the Texas Rangers on Saturday, and while it wasn’t a dominant performance, it was certainly promising. The veteran right-hander went five innings, giving up six hits and three runs while walking two and striking out two.

He threw 82 pitches, with a pitch selection percentage of 36.6% fastball, 25.6% cutter, 17.1% splitter, 6.1% slider, and 14.6% curveball. His maximum velocity of 97.5 mph on a fastball against Kyle Schwarber showcased the power he still possesses.

One of the most exciting aspects of Eovaldi’s performance was his pitch selection. Compared to other top-tier pitchers in the Texas rotation, like Jacob deGrom, who rely heavily on fastballs and sliders, Eovaldi has a broader range of pitches.

This variety gives him an edge over other pitchers, as he can keep Texas Rangers opponents guessing and change up his approach as needed.

While deGrom is undoubtedly one of the best pitchers in the game, Eovaldi’s various pitches make him a unique and formidable opponent.

Another aspect of Eovaldi’s performance that bodes well for his future with the Rangers is his ability to go deep into games. He has a history of being a workhorse and, if he can continue to pitch deep into games as he did on Saturday against the Phillies, he will be an invaluable asset to the team. The Rangers have struggled with starting pitching in recent years, and Eovaldi’s ability to eat up innings could help take some pressure off the bullpen.

While Eovaldi’s final line may not have been as dominant as some would have hoped, it’s important to remember that this was just his first start with the team.

Nevertheless, he showed flashes of the dominant pitcher he can be and, with some time to settle in and get comfortable with his new teammates, he could become a force to be reckoned with in the American League.

Additionally, Eovaldi’s performance in his first start with the Rangers is further highlighted by his FIP (Fielding Independent Pitching) of 2.01 using a FIP constant of 3.2, which is an impressive feat. FIP is a metric that considers only the events that a pitcher has control over, such as strikeouts, walks, and home runs and is seen as a more reliable indicator of a pitcher’s performance than ERA.

Eovaldi’s FIP indicates that he pitched better than his final line suggests and that his performance was on par with some of the best pitchers in the game.

This stellar FIP also bodes well for the Rangers’ rotation as a whole. With Eovaldi’s addition to the rotation, alongside other talented pitchers such as Martin Perez and Andrew Heaney, the Rangers are poised to have one of the strongest starting rotations in baseball.

This is good news for Rangers fans who have been waiting for their team to make a playoff push, and it is clear that Eovaldi is ready to contribute to that push.

Nathan Eovaldi’s first start with the Texas Rangers was a promising one. His diverse pitch selection and ability to go deep into games make him a valuable addition to the team. While there is certainly room for improvement, there is no doubt that he has the potential to be a dominant force on the mound for the Rangers this season.