AL WILDCARD GAME: RED SOX VS YANKEES

October 4, 2021

Nathan Eovaldi

Fenway Park

Boston Red Sox

Workout Day Press Conference

Q. How much of what you went through in 2018 prepares and helps you for tomorrow night?

NATHAN EOVALDI: I definitely think it helps out a lot, just to be able to say I've experienced it and been through it. You know, I definitely think it helps. But, you know, I'm just real excited to be in this situation and fought real hard to get to this point. And once you get to the playoffs, anything can happen. I think it's about the team that gets the hottest and that can continuously go out and get the little things right.

Q. You've had a really strong career against the Yankees, especially pitching here, but that last start wasn't what you wanted. How do you put that out of your mind and maybe focus on doing what you need to do tomorrow?

NATHAN EOVALDI: I feel like that's one of the best things I've able to do this year is rebound after a bad start. I felt last time I faced these guys, it was a little mechanical, and if you fall behind in the counts, they are going to be able to do damage, and I wasn't able to execute my off-speed pitches.

And the next start against Baltimore, I felt like I was locating all my pitches and pounding the zone and getting some quick outs. I felt like I turned the page at that point even in the bullpen before that. So I am excited just to be able to redeem myself for the start tomorrow.

Q. Do you know Gerrit Cole at all and what's been your impression of him, pitcher to pitcher watching him pitch?

NATHAN EOVALDI: Not personally but I've watched him and everything he does. He's easily a top five pitcher in the game right now. All his stuff's electric. He commands the zone. He's got four-plus pitches. It seems like every year he's up at the top of the leader board with strikeouts, and he limits the walks and attacks the hitters. I mean, that's some of the things that we're going to have to be ready for tomorrow.

Q. Does it seem fitting in a game like this, it's two guys who are All-Stars, two guys that led their teams all year, it's two guys who belong in this spot; does it seem like that's how it should be to decide a game like this?

NATHAN EOVALDI: Yeah, it's a wild-card game and it comes down to that. It's one of the toughest things about the wild-card game, it comes down to one. And the next few it's best-of-five, best-of-seven and you've got other guys you can rely on. But right now it's do-or-die and you have to win this game to move on.

Q. Did you ever think you would be in this position, like facing your former team -- obviously the Red Sox are your team. But facing your former team in such an important game?

NATHAN EOVALDI: No, I mean, I never expected this. I try not to look into the future and predict things that are going to happen, and I try to take it day-by-day, pitch-by-pitch, and not overwork myself and get caught up in the moment. Go out there and do what I can and try and compete.

Q. How much do you cherish being in this position?

NATHAN EOVALDI: I think that's the one thing I've learned the most from 2018 is just being able to cherish the moments. Going through it for the first time, I was so focused on doing the little things, and I almost felt like I didn't really take it all in as much as I should have. And up to this point, how hard we've worked together as a team to get here and competing with one another. We had to rely on a lot of different guys at this point in the season, so I've been able to cherish it for sure to be able to get here to this point.

Q. With the stakes so high for a game like this, how do you maintain a level approach as you get ready for tomorrow night?

NATHAN EOVALDI: I'm familiar with the Yankees, play them all the time in the division. Just try not to overthink it. It's the same game, just a little bit brighter lights. Same brightness, but a little bit more intensity in things out there.

Q. With that familiarity, what's the difficulty in preparing for a team that you've had ups-and-downs, success and some failures against?

NATHAN EOVALDI: I think it's just going back and looking at those games that I failed at, seeing what happened, and kind of what led to it. In the last game, I say it was mechanics, but I have to be able to go out there and execute my pitches. It's the same with every team. It's going to be a tough outing if you're falling behind everybody and you have to fight your way back into the count. Try to get ahead first, strike 1, and keep them on edge and keep attacking the zone and make them be able to expand.

Q. You've talked before about how much you enjoy these types of moments. Why do you enjoy them so much and what does it bring out in you specifically?

NATHAN EOVALDI: It's the competitive nature. At least for me, I want to be in these situations. I want to compete against the best. I want to compete against the teams that are hottest at that time.

Especially with pitching, you can really motivate the team and get them going to move on to the next round and things like that. You go out and perform well, and even if you don't, you don't do well and the team picks you up. We've been around each other all year, you know what I mean. There's that camaraderie and everything that goes along with it, being in the clubhouse and being with these guys for so long, it's fun.

Q. Does it change anything when a team is so prolific with the home run? Does it change anything in terms of how you attack or prepare?

NATHAN EOVALDI: I don't think so. Again, I think it comes down to attacking the strike zone. If you are ahead 0-1, 0-2, you can expand and they are liable to swing more, as opposed to if it's 2-0, 2-1, you know, they're in the driver's seat. And you want to stay in control the entire game.

Q. In 2018, Alex used some of the starters in relief and he showed Sunday he's willing to do that again. Obviously it won't be you tomorrow, but what's the challenge for the starter being in the pen for one night?

NATHAN EOVALDI: It's nice that they were able to get in there before the playoffs started. So now pretty much everybody is used to it. They have all experienced it. And there's going to be high-leverage situations, but for us as starters, we prepare for the entire lineup. And now you come out of the pen and you're going batter to batter and not trying to go deep into the game. Whenever they take the ball from you, that's it.

Q. What was your approach kind of this season knowing that Chris was going to be out so long and maybe being the No. 1 guy on the team? Did that drive you this season?

NATHAN EOVALDI: No, I mean, obviously I'm aware that he was going to be out. I know Eddie, you know what I mean, probably wasn't going to be himself, missing a full year. It's just going out there and competing.

Again, I take a lot of pride in what I do and going out there and competing against the best, and our division is one of the best out there. So you have to be prepared to come in there every game, every start, locked in and ready to go.

Q. How much of a challenge are Stanton and Judge, back-to-back, particularly the way they have been hitting the last couple of months?

NATHAN EOVALDI: They have been outstanding for the team, and they have been able to carry them up to this point, really, up and down their lineup. Once again, the further we go into the playoffs, the better the lineups are going to get and the deeper they are going to be. That's one of the fun parts about the playoffs. Everybody is outstanding and they put together quality at-bats, and you go out there and stay in the driver's seat and control the game and try not to let them get anything going.