ARLINGTON – Nathan Eovaldi’s Cy Young bid, his season and, in all likelihood, the Rangers’ last slim playoff hopes evaporated Tuesday afternoon.
Eovaldi is done for the regular season with a rotator cuff strain.
Eovaldi pitched seven innings on Friday to lower his ERA to 1.73 and temporarily claim MLB’s top ERA when he pushed his innings count 130. On Sunday, when he attempted to play catch, he felt soreness that only increased as he tried to power through it. An MRI on Tuesday confirmed the strain.
Surgery is not needed to repair the issue, President of Baseball Operations Chris Young said. And the degree of the strain is lesser than the one suffered by Tyler Mahle earlier this year. Mahle, however, has been on the IL since June 12 and has yet to begin a rehab assignment. The idea the Eovaldi could cut that return time by more than half is unrealistic, though the Rangers did not rule out the possibility he could return if – if – the Rangers were to reach the postseason.
“He’s been a tremendous teammate and competitor for us all year,” Young said in announcing the news. “You hate to see this happen to somebody who’s been so important to the organization, but it’s seems par for the course with how some of the season has gone.”
Said Eovaldi: “Im very disappointed. It was just kind of surprising to see the results of the MRI. It’s just frustrating how the season has been going, how we’ve been throwing the ball lately and trying to pick back up and make a good run. I don’t want to rule out the rest of the season, but it’s not looking very great.”
It was just the latest in a series of gut-wrenching injury news the Rangers have received lately. Over the last week, the club has indicated that both Marcus Semien (fracture in foot/lisfranc sprain) and Evan Carter (fracture in right wrist) are expected to be out for the remainder of the regular season.
When the Rangers officially place Eovaldi on the IL on Wednesday, it will be the seventh IL move for the Rangers in a 10-day span.
“I’ve never seen a week like this,” Young said.
Nathan Eovaldi has a rotator cuff strain & is likely done for the season.
— Evan Grant (@Evan_P_Grant) August 26, 2025
In 22 starts, Eovaldi has amassed an 11-3 record with a 1.73 ERA. The Rangers are 15-7 when he starts, 51-60 when anybody else takes the mound.
Eovaldi pitched seven innings of one-run ball in a walkoff 4-3 win over Cleveland in his last start on Friday. He retired 15 consecutive batters at one point, struck out nine, walked none and walked off the Globe Life Field mound with his team in a position to win.
It may be the final time he walks off a mound this season.
More to come on this story.
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