PHOENIX — Nathan Eovaldi is back on the Texas Rangers roster for the first time since Aug. 7. Josh Jung came back with him. Texas activated the right-hander from the 15-day injured list and the third baseman from the 10-day list on Saturday before the middle game of a three-game series at Chase Field. Left-hander Adam Macko and catcher Logan O’Hoppe went to Triple-A Round Rock.
Eovaldi and Jung stayed on Texas’ 40-man roster as rosters expanded from 26 to 28 players on Sept. 1, and the pitcher limit increased from 13 to 14.
Nathan Eovaldi Returns From Right Elbow Inflammation
Right posterior elbow inflammation put Eovaldi on the 15-day list starting Aug. 10, retroactive to Aug. 9. His last outing, two days earlier, was a 2-1 win over the Baltimore Orioles, where he pitched 5.1 innings, allowing four hits, one earned run, with two walks and two strikeouts.
Eovaldi threw about 30 pitches in live batting practice on Sept. 8 and felt good afterward. In Seattle, Rangers manager Skip Schumaker did not specify what happened next.
“I’m not telling you that. I’m going to make a surprise announcement for the other team,” Schumaker said. “No, I think he’s going to probably do another live and then go from there. I think rehab assignment and that type of thing, it’s getting so late in the season. And a veteran pitcher like Evo, I think he can probably feel pretty good after a couple lives, and we trust him.”
He has 22 starts with a 10-9 record, a 4.21 ERA, 137 strikeouts, and a 1.206 WHIP over 132.2 innings. He has surrendered 24 home runs, compared to 10 in 130..0 innings last season.
Eovaldi’s own read is that the bullpen is where he helps most, which he told Shawn McFarland of The Dallas Morning News.
“I don’t know how they want to manage it, but I possibly could squeeze in two starts at maybe four or five innings as opposed to pitching effectively and helping bridge to get to where we need to be,” Eovaldi said.
Two days before the live session, asked to sketch a workload, Schumaker had pointed to how little of the regular season was left.
“It’s just really challenging to think we’re getting six innings out of him,” Schumaker explained.
He is available in relief Saturday, with Kumar Rocker starting against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Josh Jung Back After A Rehab Assignment At Round Rock
A left calf strain ended Jung’s July on the 21st, and he was placed on the 10-day list four days later, retroactive to July 22. During 92 games prior, he hit .294/.361/.441 with 9 home runs, 23 doubles, and 35 RBI. His 133 OPS+ is the highest among Rangers regulars.
Round Rock had him on a rehab assignment on Sept. 8, and he homered two days later. Schumaker wanted to see if he could handle third base before activation, planning five innings Thursday and seven Friday.
The July 29 trade that brought O’Hoppe over from the Los Angeles Angels also landed right-hander Chase Silseth, with minor league infielder Angel Arredondo going to Anaheim. Texas recalled him Aug. 23 and designated outfielder Jarred Kelenic for assignment the same day. Nine games with the Rangers, all at designated hitter, produced five hits in 16 at-bats with a double and an RBI, and he batted .209 for the Angels this season with 4 home runs and 23 RBI over 75 games.
Kyle Higashioka is still on the 10-day list with a right flexor strain, leaving Elias Díaz and Danny Jansen behind the plate.
Macko cost Texas infielder Josh Smith and minor league right-hander Josh Stephan in an Aug. 3 trade with the Toronto Blue Jays, and his Aug. 28 recall sent left-hander Robby Ahlstrom down to make room. Six Ranger appearances: 6.1 innings, 10 hits, four earned runs, two walks, seven strikeouts, ERA 5.68. Out of options after this year.
Schumaker is treating the Rangers’ remaining schedule as one block rather than game by game.
“We look at everything. So we’re constantly trying to figure out exactly how to get to the finish line, winning and healthy,” Schumaker said. “But it’s all predicated on today. Things can change the next day and the day after that based on usage and based on how guys feel, if they’re healthy, what we have coming. Evo pitched today in a live BP through 30 pitches, felt really good. So there’s a lot of moving parts in this thing.”
“So you always have a plan until you get punched in the mouth, and then things change,” Schumaker added.
At 72-76, the Rangers trail the Houston Astros by three games in the American League West and sit 3.5 back of the Cleveland Guardians for the final American League wild card. They are 6-16 over their last 22 road games and have not won a road series since the All-Star break.
Rocker faces Diamondbacks right-hander Brandon Pfaadt, with first pitch at 7:10 p.m. CT on Rangers Sports Network. Sunday’s finale at Chase Field starts at 3:10 p.m. CT.
