After their 2026 season culminated in another losing record and another missed opportunity at the playoffs, the Texas Rangers have some things they need to figure out. 

The Rangers still have several players from the 2023 World Series team who are mixed in with younger talent trying to prove themselves. However, nothing has worked for Texas since it won its first title. 

One such player who falls in the category of proven veterans who helped the Rangers win the World Series is right-hander Nathan Eovaldi. Let's evaluate how his 2026 season went.

When Texas was making its way to capturing a ring, Eovaldi was dominant in the playoffs after coming off a 12-5 season with a 3.63 ERA. In the postseason, he made six starts and went 5-0 with a 2.95 ERA. 

But Eovaldi has not been afforded the chance to be back on that stage, despite remaining consistent on the mound. Now, at 36 years old, he is getting older, and the 2027 season will be the last of the three-year, $75 million deal he signed with Texas.

In 2026, Eovaldi went 11-10 with a 4.20 ERA in 27 appearances, 23 of which were starts. Eovaldi was healthier this season, but in 2025 his numbers were better as he went 11-3 with a 1.73 ERA in 22 starts and 130 innings pitched.

Still, Eovaldi was one of the more productive arms for the Rangers. Of those in the starting rotation, he was consistently the only one to finish with a winning record. 

It's clear that Eovaldi is still effective, and it is also good that he was healthier in 2026. But his ERA was the highest it had been since the 2019 season, and that is something that cannot be ignored.

When diving further into the analytics, Eovaldi's numbers in many measurements are still promising. According to his Baseball Savant profile, Eovaldi had an off-speed run value in the 99th percentile this season, and his chase percentage was in the 96th percentile. 

Additionally, his walk percentage was in the 91st percentile. His best month for winning decisions was in June, when he went 3-1 across five starts.

In terms of ERA, Eovaldi was best in May, when he posted a 2.79 ERA over four starts and 29 innings of work. His splitter remained the dominant pitch in his six-pitch arsenal, and he relied on it 37% of the time.

Eovaldi still presents a good, dependable arm for the Rangers, and he has earned the final year of his contract in which he will earn a base salary of $20 million. It's also important to note that, according to Spotrac, Eovaldi maintains a full no-trade clause in his deal. 

However, it is important to know that, like his teammate Jacob deGrom, Eovaldi's prime has passed him by, and the Rangers need to utilize him as best they can during their remaining time with him on the roster.