ARLINGTON, Texas — Nathan Eovaldi threw a bullpen session of about 40 pitches Saturday, split into two sets of 20, Kennedi Landry of MLB.com reported. The Texas Rangers will check how he feels Sunday. If he comes out of it well, his next step is a live batting practice session, according to Landry.
Saturday’s session was Eovaldi’s second off a mound since he went on the injured list. On Thursday, he threw 25 pitches without restriction in his first bullpen since the injury, as Dallas Sports Journal wrote. Before Monday’s series opener against the Athletics, he threw 50 pitches on flat ground and used his entire arsenal.
Texas placed Eovaldi on the 15-day injured list Aug. 10, retroactive to Aug. 9, with right posterior elbow inflammation. The elbow began bothering him while he was playing catch Aug. 9, and imaging that day showed the inflammation. The Rangers have said the injury is not the same one that sent him to the injured list in 2025.
Rangers manager Skip Schumaker called the flat-ground session on Monday encouraging and said the next week or so would show what the recovery looks like.
Eovaldi last pitched Aug. 7 against the Baltimore Orioles at Globe Life Field. He allowed 4 hits and 1 earned run over 5 1/3 innings with 2 walks and 2 strikeouts in a 2-1 Texas win. His four-seam fastball averaged 92.9 mph in that start, down from 93.6 mph in the start before it.
Nathan Eovaldi Has Not Made A Rehab Appearance Since 2022
Eovaldi has not pitched in a minor league rehab game since 2022. He built back up in the major league rotation after a right forearm strain in 2023 and was activated Sept. 5 that year. He did not go to the minors during either of his injured list stints in 2025.
In 2025, Texas placed him on the 15-day injured list June 1, retroactive to May 29, with right posterior elbow inflammation.
Through 22 starts this season, Eovaldi is 10-9 with a 4.21 ERA over 132 2/3 innings, with 137 strikeouts and 32 walks. His 10 wins and 132 2/3 innings lead the club. He has allowed 24 home runs, the most of his career.
The 36-year-old is in the second season of the three-year, $75 million contract he signed with Texas in December 2024. He has won at least 10 games in each of his four seasons with the Rangers. He is a two-time All-Star and a two-time World Series champion, including with Texas in 2023.
Where The Texas Rangers Rotation Stands
The Rangers have been running Jacob deGrom, MacKenzie Gore, Kumar Rocker, Cody Bradford, and Cal Quantrill in Eovaldi’s absence. On Friday against the Tampa Bay Rays, Texas used two openers ahead of Rocker, as Dallas Sports Journal wrote Saturday.
Jack Leiter is still not throwing after biceps soreness in an Aug. 26 rehab appearance and will go to Arizona this week to continue his rehab, Landry also reported Saturday. A return as a starter this season is unlikely for Leiter, per Landry, though a relief role remains possible. [URL_TK]
The regular season ends Sept. 27 at Target Field against the Minnesota Twins. Texas entered Saturday at 70-72, second in the American League West and 3 games behind the Houston Astros, with 20 games left to play.
The Rangers continue their series against the Rays on Saturday at Globe Life Field. First pitch is 6:05 p.m. CT on Rangers Sports Network, with deGrom starting against Drew Rasmussen. Gore starts the series finale Sunday at 1:35 p.m. CT.
