AL WILD CARD SERIES: RANGERS VS RAYS

October 3, 2023

Nathan Eovaldi

Tropicana Field

Texas Rangers

Pregame Press Conference

Q. Nate, you've pitched in some big postseason games. How are you feeling going into tomorrow?

NATHAN EOVALDI: No, I feel really good, mechanically, physically I feel really good. We were able to accomplish a lot this season, but that's what we set out to do in Spring Training, and this is it. Obviously it was to win the division. We tied. But we've got to go now. And at this moment the regular season doesn't matter or anything what we did to get here. It's the team that gets the hottest and has the most fun, in my opinion, is the team that goes out there and wins it.

Q. Do you feel like the start you've made since coming back from IL, it's gotten incrementally better?

NATHAN EOVALDI: I do, yeah. I feel like mechanically I've been feeling a lot better, just being able to repeat it. The fastball has been feeling better coming out. I feel like the shapes of my pitches have been a lot better. It's just, again, getting that consistency and being able to really limit my misses.

Q. What did you take away from your last start? It was so good early.

NATHAN EOVALDI: Yeah, I mean, I think it was just the way I ended up attacking those guys. I didn't adjust with the way I should have attacked, and they made the adjustments that they needed to, and they were able to do some damage on me.

My fastball and splitter I thought played really well. And again, I think it just came down to me not adjusting out there, which I feel like I've made those adjustments now, and I realize what the mistakes that I did make were. And now it's learning from those mistakes and not doing it again.

Q. You have had so much experience pitching against this organization, which is kind of a unique organization. What does that bring for you going into this, and what's the challenges they present?

NATHAN EOVALDI: Yeah, obviously they're a very scrappy team. They've got really everything it takes. They've got the power to be able to drive the ball out, to make contact. They've got speed. I feel like they don't really take any outs for granted. They run down the baseline hard and their defense is really good. But for me it's just being to go out and use all my pitches. You can't just rely on one or two and really just working ahead.

I feel like that's kind of the same for all the teams. You start to fall behind guys and they're able to drive some pitches out and do some damage. But you want to make sure that you're out there and you stay in control the entire time.

Q. You were with the Rays in 2018 so you know this organization well. That's five years ago now, and a lot has happened. I'm curious how you remember those couple of months with the Rays. That was after your second Tommy John and then you were traded to Boston and had great success. You pitched well here, too. When you look back at that segment of your career, how do you think of it now? How important was that?

NATHAN EOVALDI: Yeah, I'll forever be grateful for the Rays. In '17 and '18 they went out on a limb and picked me up when I couldn't throw a ball. I was rehabbing from my second Tommy John and you can't -- you never know what's going to happen when you have a surgery like that, especially the second time. And I was able to come back healthy and they took really care of me and I rehabbed all of '17, and then in '18, I came back and I was able to make my starts. I had loose bodies when I came back at the beginning of that season as well.

I don't take anything for granted. It's just, again, very thankful for everything that they were able to do over here. Kyle Snyder was the pitching coach at the same time and he did a tremendous job. I learned my cutter when I was over here and just the ability to use all my pitches.

Q. Also with all the postseason experience you've had, how much do you think that helps you, and how has it helped you or how do you think it will help you tomorrow in terms of whether it's mentally or physically?

NATHAN EOVALDI: Yeah, I think it's just that experience. That first time when you're out there, the game seems like it's going by really quick. There's a lot of excitement. You feel very tired after the games even in the games that you're not participating in just because you know what's at stake and what's on the line. You come back from those game and I feel like it's easy to go to bed. You're not really staying up too late after the game or replaying anything. It's just you know how important sleep it and that recovery side of things.

Again, I've been very fortunate to have some experience in the postseason, and it comes down to the little things. We talked about it all year, just trying to dominate the fundamentals and just being out and try to simplify things as much as possible, and you don't want to overanalyze too many things, just go out there and play that same game and try not to mess up.

Q. What have you seen out of Jordan Montgomery since he got here in early August? Is there something that stands out about him or has impressed you?

NATHAN EOVALDI: He's got a very good feel for all of his pitches, especially mechanically. He senses if he's being a little too quick, things like that. But he's able been to go our there and give us quality innings. He's gone six or seven every start that he's had out there, and there's been very good innings. He's been able to mix his pitches up very well, and it's very nice when you can get that, especially from the starting rotation. And it makes that transition to the bullpen a lot easier with the way that he pitches and his style of pitching.

Q. How important has Jonah been for your success and also the rest of the rotation's success this season?

NATHAN EOVALDI: Yeah, I mean, trying to think back, it's hard to remember when he had a day off. That consistency from a catcher, it's very hard to come by, especially what he's able to do at the plate. Quality of at-bats that he's been able to have and his ability to be able to drive the runs in and work the at-bats. Again, for him, on my side of things, just being able to block guys. He controls the running game really well. He's got a cannon back there behind the plate, and it's one of the things the Rays do really well is run the bases.

He's going to be big for us during this stretch, and the game calling, too. Everything with Maddux and Bobby preparing him, getting him ready for the games and just him being able to listen and make adjustments as we go along, helps that a lot.