Nathan Eovaldi Found His Groove and the D-backs Better Be Ready in Arlington

Nathan Eovaldi looks like he finally figured it out. After a brutal start that had Rangers fans pulling their hair out, the 36-year-old righty is clicking again, and Texas is bringing that heat into a three-game series against Arizona starting Monday in Arlington.

Here's the thing: Eovaldi was absolutely getting shelled early. Through his first six starts, he gave up 23 runs and nine homers while dropping four decisions. His ERA sat at a rough 4.15. But then something shifted. He went back to face the Yankees, one of his former teams, and suddenly remembered how to pitch. On April 29, he scattered four hits over seven scoreless innings. Last Wednesday? He was even better, allowing just one run on three hits over eight innings.

"He had such a good game plan, such a good feel for swings," Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said. "He has a game plan but also can navigate a game on his own as good as anybody, based on what he's seeing."

The Rangers Are Rolling Now

Texas had dropped five of six before those back-to-back shutouts against the Cubs flipped the script completely. The Cubs came in hot off a 10-game winning streak but got blanked 6-0 and 3-0 over the weekend. That's the kind of momentum you want heading into a matchup with Arizona.

For the Diamondbacks, it's not all smooth sailing. Michael Soroka takes the mound looking to bounce back from a two-start skid. He got absolutely torched on April 30, giving up eight runs on 10 hits in just three innings during a 13-1 loss to Milwaukee. He was better against Pittsburgh last Wednesday (one run, seven hits, 6 1/3 innings), but still took the loss. Soroka is 4-2 on the season with a 4.14 ERA.

The Lineup Story Gets Messy

Josh Jung has been on a tear for the Rangers, ripping off consecutive three-hit games after digging out of an 0-for-12 hole. The guy can flat-out hit right now. Meanwhile, Corey Seager is struggling badly. He's 0-for-14 with six strikeouts in his last four games, and his average has tanked to .193 for the season. Schumaker isn't panicking though. Seager has started 19 straight games without a day off, and the skipper says help is coming soon.

"He's still our best player," Schumaker said. "I don't care what he did yesterday or the day before. It means something to us when you see him in the lineup."

For Arizona, they bounced back after losing seven of eight, taking the last two games against the Mets. Ryan Waldschmidt, in just his second major league start, went 2-for-2 with three RBIs in that 5-1 win on Sunday and also made a diving catch to save Eduardo Rodriguez's no-hitter bid.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.