Two-time All-Star starter Nathan Eovaldi is becoming a free agent after declining a vested $20 million player option for next season with the Texas Rangers.

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi declined his $20 million player option for the 2025 season on Monday, according to Evan Grant of The

Nathan Eovaldi, the Texas Rangers' most consistent pitcher in 2024, has opted out of the last year of his contract.

Star starter Nathan Eovaldi became a free agent Monday after declining a vested $20 million player option for next season with the Texas Rangers. Eovaldi earned that option by throwing more than 300 innings over his two years with the Rangers after signing with them in free agency.

Rangers president of baseball operations Chris Young told reporters (including Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News) this morning that

The Rangers had expected Eovaldi to decline the option, but would still like to re-sign the 34-year-old right-hander and Texas native.

According to Braves beat reporter Mark Bowman of MLB.com, Alex Anthopoulos has his eyes on one of the best starting pitchers on the market–two-time All-Star Nathan Eovaldi.

Ian Anderson is on the roster but hasn’t pitched in the majors since 2022 due to poor performance and Tommy John surgery. The club also has guys like Huascar Ynoa, AJ Smith-Shawver, Hurston Waldrep, Bryce Elder and a few others, though no one in that group did much to impress in 2024.