Rangers' Eovaldi becomes free agent after declining $20M option
Texas Rangers right-hander Nathan Eovaldi will test free agency.
Rangers general manager Chris Young announced Monday that Eovaldi declined his $20-million player option for 2025, according to Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News.
Young added the team has "great interest" in bringing back the two-time All-Star.
The 34-year-old played an instrumental role in helping Texas win the 2023 World Series, authoring a 3.63 ERA with a 1.14 WHIP and 132 strikeouts over 144 innings (25 starts) during the regular season before surrendering just 11 earned runs with 41 strikeouts across 36 2/3 postseason frames.
In 2024, Eovaldi posted a 3.80 ERA with a 1.10 WHIP and 8.8 K/9 over 170 2/3 innings (29 starts) - the third-highest total of his 13-year career.
The Rangers also announced Monday that they declined to exercise a club option on reliever Andrew Chafin, making the veteran left-hander a free agent. Chafin, 34, put up a 4.19 ERA in 21 appearances with Texas after being acquired from Detroit at the trade deadline.