Texas Rangers and RHP Nathan Eovaldi finalize $75 million, 3-year contract

DALLAS (AP) - Nathan Eovaldi and the Texas Rangers finalized a $75 million, three-year contract Thursday that keeps him in their starting rotation.

The right-hander was the winning pitcher for Texas in its 2023 World Series clincher, and the Rangers said one of their primary goals this offseason was to re-sign Eovaldi. The sides agreed to financial terms Tuesday, pending a successful physical.

To open a roster spot for Eovaldi, right-hander Roansy Contreras was designated for assignment.

Eovaldi became a free agent Nov. 4 after declining a vested $20 million player option for the 2025 season. The Rangers had expected that move, but said they wanted to bring back the Texas native who will turn 35 in February.

The two-time All-Star got a $2 million buyout from that option, which was earned by throwing more than 300 innings over his two years with the Rangers after joining them in free agency.

His new deal came at baseball’s winter meetings on the same day Max Fried agreed with the New York Yankees on a $218 million, eight-year contract, the largest ever for a left-hander. Those moves leave 2021 National League Cy Young Award winner and four-time All-Star Corbin Burnes as the top pitcher still available on the free agent market. The right-hander went 15-9 with a 2.92 ERA in 32 starts for the Orioles this year, his only season in Baltimore.

Eovaldi will stay in the Texas rotation with two-time NL Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom, who made three starts at the end of last season after missing nearly 17 months following right elbow surgery. The Rangers won all six of deGrom’s starts at the beginning of the 2023 season before he got hurt that April.

Texas acquired Eovaldi and deGrom in free agency before the 2023 season. Eovaldi’s two-year deal then was for $34 million, with $16 million salaries each season, plus the buyout. That was after deGrom, now 36, signed for $185 million over five years.

When the Rangers made the run to their first World Series title in 2023, Eovaldi went 5-0 with a 2.95 ERA in six postseason starts. He was the winning pitcher in their World Series-clinching Game 5 at Arizona. He also helped Boston win its 2018 title.

Eovaldi went 24-13 with a 3.72 ERA in 54 starts over the past two seasons, and had 298 strikeouts in 314 2/3 innings. He was 12-8 with a 3.80 ERA in 29 starts this year. He threw seven scoreless innings at the Los Angeles Angels to win the season finale for the Rangers, who finished 78-84 and missed the playoffs.

Texas is the sixth big league team for Eovaldi, who is 91-81 with a 4.07 ERA in 294 career games (275 starts) since his debut in 2011 with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Besides the Red Sox, he also has pitched for Miami, the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay.

The 25-year-old Contreras was claimed off waivers from the Los Angeles Angels on Oct. 31. He went 2-4 with a 4.35 ERA and two saves in 46 relief appearances and three starts for the Angels and Pittsburgh Pirates last season.

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AP Baseball Writers Ronald Blum and Mike Fitzpatrick contributed to this report.