Nathan Eovaldi has a high market value, now or in winter

He was the calming and reliable veteran the Rangers needed in their rotation this year, a rotation that has struggled with injuries and currently ranks 19th in the league in pitcher fWAR, according to Fangraphs.

Looking ahead, Eovaldi’s offseason status looks a bit more complicated than it actually is given the option included in his contract.

If Eovaldi is able to throw 300 total innings between last season and this season, he would have a player option worth $20 million for the 2025 season. If he doesn’t exceed that 300-inning limit, he would simply be an unrestricted free agent.

Given his age, the performance he has shown in Texas during the life of this contract, and the fact that he has already undergone Tommy John surgery twice throughout his career, he will likely decline this player option to become a UFA and test the market, even if he were to throw well enough to earn this player option.

And given that Texas is still seven games out of the top spot in the AL West and 7.5 games out of the last AL Wild Card spot, it’s possible Eovaldi could be traded to the Rangers if they decide to sell.

This would make Eovaldi a sought-after player across the league even before he becomes a free agent with the July 30 transfer deadline approaching.