Nathan Eovaldi to start World Series Game 1

Nathan Eovaldi will start Game 1 of the 2023 World Series for the Texas Rangers, the team announced today.

Eovaldi has made four starts for the Rangers this postseason, including Games 2 and 6 in the American League Championship Series against the Houston Astros. Eovaldi allowed seven runs in 26 innings in those four games, all of which the Rangers won. He has a career 2.87 ERA in 69 postseason innings.

Jordan Montgomery pitched Games 1 and 5 in the ALCS, but because he pitched in relief in Game 7, using him in Game 1 of the World Series would have meant bringing him back on short rest. He will most likely pitch Game 2 for Texas.

Eovaldi put up a 3.63 ERA in 25 starts for the Rangers in the regular season. He was named to the All Star team and was in the Cy Young Award discussion before a sore elbow sidelined him for about six weeks. Eovaldi was not good when he returned from the injured list for the final month of the season, but has put those struggles behind him in the postseason.