The Boston Red Sox have a real chance of losing an elite right-handed pitcher this offseason with Sonny Gray out there in free agency right now.
The top internal option to replace Gray undoubtedly is Brayan Bello . But what if the Red Sox look externally to fill the gap? If they do, the Texas Rangers are a team to circle right now. The Rangers are a team that could be open for business in the trade market this winter and Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News specifically mentioned three players as trade candidates, including old friend Nathan Eovaldi.
"Put it all together and what do you have? The part he wouldn't say explicitly. The Rangers are going to search for trade partners for Corey Seager and Jacob deGrom. Perhaps Nathan Eovaldi, too. There simply is no other way. You can't put together a competitive team with $190 million in player salaries with three aging players eating up $92 million of that," Grant wrote.
The Red Sox could very well end up needing a right-handed pitcher and it just so happens that Eovaldi fits that description and has had success in Boston, including being a part of the 2018 World Series team. So, if he's available should Boston target him? Let's weigh the pros and cons.
Sep 26, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Texas Rangers starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi (17) delivers a pitch during the first inning against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Eovaldi is a gamer . This is a guy with a 3.05 playoff ERA in 17 appearances. Plus, again, he already has a Red Sox World Series ring. He has been in Texas since 2023 and has logged a 3.40 ERA in 103 total appearances for Texas. In 2025, he logged a 1.73 ERA in 22 appearances. In 2026, he took a step back and had a 4.20 ERA in 27 appearances, but was able to stay healthy, for the most part. Eovaldi has just one more season left on his deal, so he shouldn't cost an arm and a leg in the trade market.
Eovaldi would be a great guy to have in the clubhouse and still can get it done on the mound.
Sep 16, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers pitcher Nathan Eovaldi (17) throws the ball during the game between the Rangers and the Red Sox at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
When it comes to Eovaldi, he wouldn't be a long-term solution for the organization. Eovaldi has just one more season left on his deal and will make $24 million in 2027. Afterward, it's anyone's guess what he'll do. If the Red Sox were to target Eovaldi, there's a real chance that the club would be in the exact same situation next year as it is now with Gray. He was awesome in 2026, but he is a free agent and likely will leave. Eovaldi will be a free agent after the 2027 season and then could easily leave.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/red-sox/onsi as Red Sox's Pros and Cons of Targeting Nathan Eovaldi-Rangers Trade .
