The struggling Texas Rangers will have to get by without one of their best arms for the foreseeable future.
Ace pitcher Nathan Eovaldi has been placed on the 15-day injured list as he deals with right posterior elbow inflammation, the team announced Sunday.
Eovaldi left his last start on Tuesday against the Toronto Blue Jays as a precaution due to triceps fatigue, but following the game, the righty expressed optimism moving forward that he wouldn’t miss his next start. That’s no longer the case.
However, according to MLB.com’s Kennedi Landry, Rangers general manager Chris Young told reporters that the team isn’t worried, and with pitching prospect Kumar Rocker waiting in the wings, they have the flexibility to rest Eovaldi until he’s fully healthy.
The 35-year-old has had an impressive season for the Rangers, pitching to a 1.56 ERA — good for second in MLB — and a 4-3 record in 12 starts. He has tallied 73 strikeouts and only 10 walks over 69.1 innings of work.
Against the Blue Jays, Eovaldi threw 39 pitches in two scoreless innings, allowing leadoff doubles to Bo Bichette and George Springer. He left Bichette at third base in the opening inning and stranded Springer and Anthony Santander in the second.
Following the outing, Eovaldi said he has dealt with arm tightness for a few games.
“But we’ve been able to manage it,” he said. “Today it just felt a lot tighter.”
— With files from the Associated Press
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