Nathan Eovaldi's 2023 postseason is the greatest pitching performance in Rangers history.
Regular season context: Eovaldi went 12-5 with a 3.63 ERA. Solid but not spectacular. Source: Baseball Reference.
The postseason transformation:
ALDS Game 3 vs. Rays: Down 2-0 in the series, Eovaldi threw 7 innings of 1-run ball. 8 strikeouts, 3 hits allowed. Rangers won 7-1.
ALCS Game 3 vs. Astros: 7 innings, 2 runs, 9 strikeouts. In Houston. Against a lineup that dominated him in the regular season.
World Series Game 3 vs. Diamondbacks: 6.1 innings, 0 runs, 6 strikeouts. In Arizona. Rangers won 3-1 and took a 2-1 lead.
Combined 2023 postseason stats:
- 4 starts, 3 wins
- 23.2 innings, 3 earned runs
- ERA: 1.14
- WHIP: 0.85
- Strikeouts: 23
A 1.14 ERA in 4 postseason starts ranks in the top 10 all-time.
Why he elevated: Fastball averaged 97.8 MPH in the postseason, up from 96.2 in the regular season per Baseball Savant. His splitter whiff rate jumped from 29% to 38%. The adrenaline of October literally made him a better pitcher.
The contract justification: $34M for a pitcher who delivered a 1.14 ERA in a championship postseason is a bargain.
Sources:
- Baseball Reference -- postseason game logs
- Baseball Savant -- pitch velocity and whiff rates
- Spotrac -- contract details
The World Series shutout shifted momentum permanently. After that game, Arizona had no answer.