Ex-Red Sox Nathan Eovaldi Thrilled After Punching World Series Ticket

Nathan Eovaldi made the most of his opportunity with the Texas Rangers after departing from the Boston Red Sox in free agency.

Just as the two-time All-Star did in 2018 with Boston, Eovaldi flipped the switch in October, and so far, it’s paid off for Texas.

The Rangers punched their ticket to the World Series, defeating the defending champion Houston Astros in seven games. And throughout that hunt, Eovaldi has been stellar, going a perfect 4-0 in four playoff starts with a 2.42 ERA, helping Texas come within four wins of its first-ever Fall Classic title.

“I’m just happy to be here in this moment and to be here with all the guys, I mean, and overcome, it was obviously, we win the first two and we get punched in the face and we’re down by one,” Eovaldi told MLB Network Radio on Tuesday. “… I think that’s what happens when you have a really good team, you’re able to overcome that adversity. I feel like we’ve been kind of, like, up. and down on that rollercoaster lately, but we’re playing really good baseball lately.”

Texas was pushed to the very limit by Houston, going from a 2-0 series lead to a 3-2 series deficit in the American League Championship Series. However, shining bright in October isn’t anything new to Eovaldi, who in the past, has thrived in the high-pressure moments.

Since 2018, when Eovaldi helped win the World Series in Boston and debuted in the postseason, the right-hander has recorded a 2.87 ERA pitching in 15 appearances.