Nathan Eovaldi was having one of the most under-the-radar, dominant regular seasons in recent memory.
Signed to a three-year, $75 million contract in the offseason, Eovaldi was firmly in the Cy Young conversation. In 22 starts, the right-hander had posted a 1.73 ERA and 129 strikeouts in 130 innings pitched. He was the best member of the Texas Rangers’ rotation, even including Jacob deGrom, and losing the 35-year-old for likely the remainder of the season is a devastating blow to the teams’ postseason dreams.
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AL Cy Young award is wide open after Eovaldi injury
It’s also a devastating blow to Eovaldi’s chances of winning the American League Cy Young Award. In reality, even with such a dominant season, his odds were slim. But he would have surely finished in the top-5, potentially top-3, in voting had he finished the regular season healthy.
The favorite for the award is Tarik Skubal, the dominant left-handed starter for the Detroit Tigers. He’s put together one of the best seasons in recent memory, recording a 2.28 ERA in 26 starts with 212 strikeouts. It marked his second consecutive season with at least 200 strikeouts and as a free agent after the 2026 season, Skubal is in position to land one of the richest contracts for a pitcher in baseball history.
Skubal is capable of touching triple-digits with his velocity and is well above-average in locating his pitches, highlighted by his 212/25 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 166 innings.
Tarik Skubal isn't alone in AL Cy Young power rankings
But Skubal also faces significant competition from Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet, who has been everything Boston hoped after acquiring the left-hander in a blockbuster trade this offseason. In 26 starts, Crochet has posted a 2.38 ERA and 207 strikeouts in a career-high 166.1 innings pitched. He has proven that last year's breakout with the Chicago White Sox was not a fluke and that he’s in the conversation to be the best pitcher in the American League.
Who ultimately wins the award will come down to the final month of the regular season, but Eovaldi would have been in a strong position to finish in third place. In the offseason, re-signing Eovaldi was the top priority for the Rangers. There were numerous teams interested, but at the Winter Meetings, Chris Young and the Rangers’ front office stepped up to prevent him from leaving for another franchise.
Eovaldi helped the Rangers get back into postseason contention. But at 66-67, and without one of the best pitchers in the AL, Texas’ road to getting back to the playoffs became much steeper.