Are the Texas Rangers gearing up to pursue Nathan Eovaldi this off-season?

Hear us out on this one: the Texas Rangers may be giving us some insight into their free agency plans, like potentially making a run at Nathan Eovaldi.

The team is reportedly interested in signing recently-released Red Sox catcher Kevin Plawecki and is working to get a deal done with the backstop. The decision to move on from Plawecki is reportedly unpopular with players in Boston, and his leadership could be valuable to someone like Jonah Heim should Texas be able to make things official.

But besides Plawecki’s leadership, there could be something else brewing in the Rangers’ front office… like signing pending free agent pitcher Nathan Eovaldi.

Texas Rangers may be hinting at their interest in Nathan Eovaldi with rumored Kevin Plawecki signing

Eovaldi, 32, has an electric arm and currently serves as the Red Sox’ ace. In 2022, he has a 4.15 ERA and 96 strikeouts in 18 starts. Though he’s currently rehabbing from an injury, Eovaldi has time and again been a big-game pitcher for Boston, including their 2018 run to a championship. He would be a solid addition to a Texas Rangers team in desperate need of starters. And he has a strong rapport with Kevin Plawecki.

That second point is perhaps the strongest of all. Nathan Eovaldi and Kevin Plawecki have been as close to a package deal in Boston as it gets. And the former was ticked off at the news of Plawecki’s release, to say the least. Rightfully so, given the comfortability factor and the trust between the battery mates. Routines matter to pitchers.

Eovaldi isn’t a true ace, but slotting him into a rotation that could potentially feature Jon Gray and  Martin Perez would be a sturdy foundation from which to build out the rest of the Texas Rangers’ starting rotation in 2023. Hopefully, the plan is to acquire an ace-level starter as well, like Jacob deGrom, Clayton Kershaw or Carlos Rodon.

A rotation with one of those three, along with Nathan Eovaldi, Gray and Perez would be a massive step in the right direction as the Rangers look to contend seriously in 2023. And with Eovaldi’s trusted catcher Kevin Plawecki possibly in tow? The stars could be aligning here.

At the end of the day, this is pure speculation, but it isn’t without merit. The Texas Rangers and Nathan Eovaldi could be trending towards a union this winter.