Nathan Eovaldi has battled back from two Tommy John operations to become a Major League star.
photo by Tim Evearitt
In case you weren't paying attention, former Lookout Nathan Eovaldi - who was a valuable member of the Boston Red Sox team the won the,2018 World Series Champions - on December 6th signed a four-year contract with the Red Sox valued at $68 million dollars
The former 11th round pick for the Dodgers began the 2011 season with Chattanooga, where he went 6-5 with a 2.62 ERA in 20 appearances (19 starts).
He was promoted to Los Angeles and made his debut on August 6th. He went on to go 1-2 with a 3.63 ERA in 10 appearances for the Dodgers.
Eovaldi pitched for the Dodgers, Miami Marlins, New York Yankees, and Tampa Bay Rays before being traded to the Red Sox on July 25, 2018. After being acquired from the Rays, Eovaldi posted a 3.33 ER in 12 regular season outings (11 starts) for Boston, making three scoreless starts of at least 6.0 innings. He made just one start in the playoffs before helping out the battered bullpen in the Game 5 clincher of the AL Division Series against Houston
In six postseason appearances, including two starts, Eovaldi went 2-1 with a 1.61 ERA, a .185 opponent batting average, 16 strikeouts, and three walks. In the ALCS against the Houston Astros, he started Game 3 and gave up two runs in 6.0 innings, then threw 1.1 scoreless innings in the decisive Game 5.
He appeared in each of the first three games of the World Series, throwing a perfect eighth inning in Game 1 and again in Game 2. In the Red Sox' 3-2, 18-inning loss at Dodger Stadium in Game 3, Eovaldi started the 12th inning and pitched the rest of the way, allowing one run in his first 6.0 frames before Max Muncy led off the 18th inning with a walk-off home run.
Eovaldi is 44-53 with a 4.16 ERA in 156 major league appearances (148 starts) for the Dodgers (2011-12), Marlins (2012-14), Yankees (2015-16), Rays (2018), and Red Sox (2018).
Nathan Eovaldi pitching for the Lookouts at AT&T Field on May 20, 2012.
photo by Tim Evearitt