Braves Interested in Signing 2-Time All-Star Starting Pitcher
The Atlanta Braves’ pursuit of an arm in free agency may lead them to former Texas Rangers and Boston Red Sox All-Star righty Nathan Eovaldi.
As MLB’s free agency market picks up for starting pitchers, the Atlanta Braves are joining the race.
The Braves — along with the Baltimore Orioles, among others — have “interest” in former Texas Rangers right-hander Nathan Eovaldi, according to MLB Network’s Jon Morosi.
Eovaldi, who stands 6-foot-2-inches, 217 pounds, started 29 games for the Rangers this past season. He recorded a 3.80 earned-run average across 170.2 innings, striking out 166 hitters while walking only 42 en route to a 12-8 record.
Across his 13-year MLB career, Eovaldi owns a record of 91-81 and an ERA of 4.07. His ERA has been below 3.90 each season since 2020. He earned American League All-Star nods in 2021 — when he finished fourth in Cy Young and 15th in MVP voting — and 2023.
Eovaldi turns 35 years old on Feb. 13, but he’s been at his best since entering his 30s. Still, his contract likely won’t reach the average annual value of the latest starter contract — Blake Snell’s $32.5 million (excluding deferrals) from the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Instead, Eovaldi’s deal could be similar to Yusei Kikuchi’s $21 million from the Los Angeles Angels — a three-year, $63 million contract.
“He was never going to get a deal in the same ballpark as Snell, but the average annual value of his deal when he does sign could be impacted by these other contracts,” writes Bleacher Report. “Eovaldi is a year older than Kikuchi (34 to 33), but his track record in MLB is superior.”
The Braves will be without ace Spencer Strider to begin the season as he continues his rehab from elbow surgery, and Atlanta may lose another star pitcher in Max Fried in free agency.
