Ex-Red Sox Pitcher Adds Another Gem To World Series Legacy
The Boston Red Sox know just how special Nathan Eovaldi is when it comes to performing in the postseason.
During his strong postseason run in 2018, the right-hander posted a 1.61 ERA in 22 1/3 innings for the Red Sox, including a heroic 96-pitch outing in Game 3 of the World Series to save the Boston bullpen. The Red Sox ultimately won that series for their fourth World Series title in 15 seasons. That October, Eovaldi put his name on the postseason map.
This time around, Eovaldi returned to his home state to carry the Texas Rangers. The now 33-year-old carried the rotation and tied a playoff record with five wins in a single postseason run.
Eovaldi took the ball in Game 5 of the World Series on Wednesday night against the Arizona Diamondbacks with a chance to deliver the franchise’s first championship. In the biggest moment, Eovaldi added another remarkable chapter to his World Series legacy.
As he escaped trouble throughout the night, Eovaldi finished six shutout innings, allowing four hits with five strikeouts. His outing became that much more important as Arizona starter Zac Gallen no-hit the Rangers during that span. Texas eventually scored five runs in the final three innings to finish off the series win.
With Eovaldi leading the way, the Rangers erased back-to-back World Series losses in 2010 and 2011 to finally take home the game’s ultimate prize.
In six postseason starts in 2023, Eovaldi went 5-0 with a 2.95 ERA in 36 2/3 innings in a stretch in which he won the clinching games of the American League Wild Card Series, the American League Division Series and now the World Series.
Eovaldi ends 2023 as a two-time World Series champion on his way to becoming one of the sport’s most consistent postseason performers.