A clearer timeline is beginning to emerge for injured Texas Rangers starting pitcher.
According to multiple reports, including The Dallas Morning News, top star threw a bullpen session—his second since being placed on the 15-day injured list on May 29 due to inflammation in the back of his right elbow.
Manager Bruce Bochy said Nathan he is on track to throw live batting practice, likely this weekend while the Rangers are in Pittsburgh to face the Pirates.
What happens after that will depend on how he responds. Bochy noted that the team will evaluate their next steps from there—it could include a rehab start in the minors, but there’s a “good chance” the 35-year-old could make his return directly to the Majors once activated.
Notably, Eovaldi has been placed on the injured list twice before with the Rangers, and on both occasions, he returned without making a minor league rehab appearance.
Eovaldi missed about a month in 2023 with a right forearm strain, but due to the timing—he was activated on September 5 during the Rangers’ playoff push—there wasn’t enough time for a full rehab stint, so he ramped up at the Major League level.
Earlier that same year, he was placed on the injured list on May 3 with a right groin strain and returned on May 28, once again skipping a minor league rehab assignment.
In fact, Eovaldi hasn’t made a rehab appearance in the minors since 2022, back when he was still with the Boston Red Sox.
This season, Nathan Eovaldi has been outstanding, posting a 4-3 record with a 1.56 ERA over 12 starts. In 69.1 innings, he’s racked up 73 strikeouts against just 10 walks.
After re-signing with the Rangers on a three-year, \$75 million deal during the offseason, Eovaldi has more than lived up to expectations, anchoring one of the top-performing rotations in the league.
Before landing on the injured list, Eovaldi was arguably the Rangers’ best starter in May — despite stiff competition. He made five starts that month, allowing just two earned runs over 26.2 innings for a 0.68 ERA. He surrendered only 16 hits, struck out 27, and walked seven, resulting in a 9.1 K/9. He went 2-1 with three quality starts during that stretch.