About a week ago, Ken Rosenthal wrote an insightful piece on the waiver period and how it might impact the Texas Rangers, sparking conversation among MLB fans. As we all know by now, the defending World Series champions are far from contention and seem increasingly likely to miss the postseason. The upcoming waiver period, which ends this month, could play a crucial role in shaping their fate.
In his article, Rosenthal mentioned several players who could potentially be placed on waivers, with Nathan Eovaldi being the most notable. He also pointed out that waiving players so soon after winning the World Series might not sit well with fans or the broader baseball community.
But let’s entertain the idea for a moment: what if the Rangers actually put Eovaldi on waivers? Would they really go down that path?
Could the Rangers waive Nathan Eovaldi as their playoff hopes fade?
Realistically, the Rangers could make this move. There are plenty of contending teams still in need of starting pitching, even with the trade deadline now behind us. The Rangers recently welcomed back Tyler Mahle, and Jacob deGrom’s 2024 debut might not be too far off.
The Rangers could decide that this season is beyond saving and put Eovaldi on waivers, hoping that a contending team might pick him up. Last year, the Angels waived several players after falling out of contention, so it wouldn’t be entirely surprising if the Rangers did something similar, even though the circumstances for these two teams are quite different.
That said, Rosenthal’s point about optics is valid. It would look bad for the Rangers to waive their best pitcher just months after winning the World Series, even if 2024 is essentially a lost cause. And at this stage, the Rangers wouldn’t get much in return — just some financial relief.
If the Rangers are serious about competing in 2025, it might make more sense to keep Eovaldi, hope his 2025 option vests based on his innings pitched, and instead consider offloading some of the fringe players. Given how disappointing this season has been, it’s hard to imagine the fanbase would react well to the team waving the white flag in such a manner.
If the Rangers do decide to move Eovaldi, it shouldn’t be about saving money — it should be about getting value in return. They’d be better off exploring offseason trade options if his 2025 option kicks in rather than placing him on waivers before September.
However, that doesn’t mean it’s entirely off the table. The Rangers have already dug themselves into a deep hole. Sitting 11 games below .500, their title defense has certainly not gone according to plan.
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