The New York Yankees are just one game ahead of the Boston Red Sox entering play Sunday, largely thanks to an old friend of the organization.
All-Star right-hander Nathan Eovaldi was one of the biggest departures of the winter — but he’s still helping Boston climb the standings in his first season with the Texas Rangers.
Nasty Nate. #StraightUpTX pic.twitter.com/nG4divXTml
— Texas Rangers (@Rangers) April 30, 2023
Eovaldi has some impressive starts against the Yankees but Friday’s outing might take the cake. The 33-year-old tossed a three-hitter with eight strikeouts and zero walks across a complete-game shutout.
The Yankees fell to 15-13 on the season, just ahead of the 14-14 Red Sox. Boston has a chance to climb out of last place in the historically good American League East and place the Yankees in the basement in the process. If that turnover in the standings does occur, Red Sox Nation can thank Eovaldi one last time.
The hard-throwing righty struggled out of the gate this season but now has a respectable 3.93 ERA with a 39-to-5 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .266 batting average against and 1.15 WHIP across six starts.
Eovaldi signed a two-year $34 million contract this winter. I’m certain Red Sox fans would have preferred to hand that deal out to him over the one-year, $10 million deal that was given to Corey Kluber.
At least Boston was able to get something back from Eovaldi’s departure to Texas. They can take full advantage Sunday if they can take down the Cleveland Guardians and the Rangers win one more against the boys in pinstripes.
