AL WILD CARD SERIES: RANGERS VS RAYS

October 4, 2023

Nathan Eovaldi

Tropicana Field

Texas Rangers

Postgame Press Conference

Texas 7, Tampa Bay 1

Q. Nate, what is it about big games, playoff games, even big regular season games we saw this season that amps you up a little bit more and brings you to a different level kind of?

NATHAN EOVALDI: I don't know. I understand what's on the line. It makes it easier to go out there after Monty's performance last night, giving us seven shutout innings and having Game 1 under way. I knew my job toady was just go out there and attack the hitters as best as possible and wait until our offense was able to put some runs across the board.

And they were able to do that in the fourth inning, and from that moment on, it's attack, attack, attack, get as fast as outs as possible, don't give them any free bases, walks, or anything like that, and make them earn their way on and then try to leave them there. Diaz had the base hit if the first and I was able to get a double play ball in the first inning, which was big. And then I'm not sure when I got the other double play ball, but -- on the catcher's interference.

But again, in the postseason, those little things like that, little errors, we talk about dominating the fundamentals. And in the postseason, that's what's it comes down to is doing all the little things right, being able to tag up or get a guy over. I know Nate had one of those at his at-bats today where he was able to get an RBI just by putting the ball in play, and he's out at first, but we got a run across the board. Anytime you have a chance to add on right there, you want to be able to capitalize on those in these moments.

Q. You were in command today. What worked for you best?

NATHAN EOVALDI: Yeah, I've been -- as I've been coming back from my injury, it's just kind of getting back into the sync of my mechanics and things like that. And after my last outing, I felt really good. The results weren't what I wanted, but coming into today, I was able to locate the fastball down and away, and I feel like I haven't been able to do that lately.

That's a confidence booster out there knowing that I have that pitch working, being able to rely on my fastball and my splitter as well. I thought I had really good action on that, just to keep the hitters off balance, and then I had a good mix with my curveball in there.

So hats off to Jonah back there behind the plate. He did a great job calling the game, and once we scored some runs, it was just bear down and attack, attack, attack.

Q. Did you want to stay in there for that last out?

NATHAN EOVALDI: Yeah, of course. For them to start off that inning, the base hit right to the short, but we got the shift going on, but it's a base hit. And then just off of Josh's glove over at third for the chance for the double play ball, and I'm trying to bear down right there. I feel like he put together a really good at-bat. I felt like that's my one slipup during the game today was I didn't make the adjustments I needed to out there on the mound.

And, again, in the postseason, those at-bats matter. It doesn't matter what inning it is. Talked to Jonah after the game and it's like obviously we realize all the great things that we did, but we've got to make sure we don't allow those little mistakes to happen again.

But Sborz came in and did a great job, Pico came in and again shut the door right there when we needed him to, and we were able to get the W tonight.

Q. What is it about this team that has allowed you guys to be so resilient in a lot of hurdles you've faced this year?

NATHAN EOVALDI: I think a lot of credit goes to Bochy from the beginning of the season. We knew what the front office expected of us at the beginning of the season. We knew coming in we had a really good team. Our offense has shown all year what they're capable of doing. Our pitching staff has shown glimpses of a lot of success, and it's getting hot at the right time.

I think, if anything, we've been able to show that earlier on right now against the Rays. They've got a great offense. They do a lot of the little things right that we talked about and our offense is able to chip away and score some runs across the board. And then our pitching staff has been able to go in there and slam the door.

Again, kind of touching back on Bochy, he's been able to prepare us for these big moments, and we know what we're capable of doing. It's just us going out there and executing our plan.

Q. You talked yesterday about feeling pretty good, having some positive takeaways, but after the past month and coming off the IL, did you feel like you needed a confidence boost at all?

NATHAN EOVALDI: I mean, I try to take every game like not really, I guess, looking at the past. It's more so how I feel. I've been feeling really good. The results haven't been there. We've been one out away from having a good outing, and then it kind of escalates and it gets worse, I guess, so to say.

But I had a lot of confidence coming into today, and I think that's one of the big things is you've got to be able to turn the page from what happened yesterday to today. And, again, the next opponent you're facing, you've got to come in with a lot of confidence.

The guys around you, I think that's what really helps out. Our offense top to bottom, they're able to hit a home run, they're having good at-bats. You see what Evan Carter is able to do with his at-bats with just a little bit of time up here in the Big Leagues.

He's shown a lot of poise out there, and for us to go out there, again, it's just make sure we simplify things down, try not to overcomplicate it, and go out there and do what we know we're capable of doing.

Q. You mentioned the front office and we saw Chris Young take part in the celebration. What can you say about the culture he's built and instilled here?

NATHAN EOVALDI: Yeah, I mean, one of the things that we had talked about in the offseason was how great our offense is again. But to me, pitching wins championships. If we're able to go out there, good pitching should be able to shut down any outstanding offense. For us to be able to go out there and be able to limit the Rays to some runs and go out there and win this series, I think it's a big confidence booster for us going into Baltimore now.

And again, CY has shown that confidence in us at the trade deadline, the moves that he was able to go out there and make. You get Monty, you get Chris Stratton, you get obviously Scherzer. It's like you get big additions to the rotation, and to me you can never have enough starting pitching. And, again, you see what Monty was able to do last night. He goes out there and goes seven strong innings. That first game of the series is always the biggest one. You always want to have that win under your belt and then move on to the next game.

Monty was able to do that last night, and again, it just shows the confidence that CY has in us.

Q. Kind of going off that, this past offseason the focus was on beefing up the pitching staff and the whole season has been injuries, guys have been in and out. It hasn't felt complete for a while. How much better does it make this feeling of you and Monty going out and pitching the way you did this series to bring things full circle for the goal, I guess?

NATHAN EOVALDI: Yeah, we've had a lot of guys that have bounced around. Martin and Heaney have been in the bullpen. Heaney made that last start in Seattle and pitched outstanding. You know what I mean? Dane has been throwing on four days' rest. The year he's had all in all, it dug in going back to -- you can never have enough starters. That's why. We came into the season with, what, eight starters, and I think it ran down to five, and again, like each guy is going to have that opportunity to take the ball, and they've got to be ready for it. You've got guys who aren't on the postseason roster this series that are probably going to be on the roster next series, and they've got to be ready for that moment, because again, everybody is going to have their opportunities.

And I think that's where you have the veteran guys in the clubhouse that kind of help prepare them for those moments, and you don't want them to be shocked by anything. ^ Kh start you want them to be able to do out there and do it all and enjoy it, as well, and I think that's one of the things -- I touch on Evan again, but he's been able to do. He's been able to go out there and have a very relaxed approach and not stray away from it, and he's had really good success from it, as well.

Q. Nate, you had mentioned the Rays' offense earlier, trying to limit them. They had been struggling in the postseason, trying to score runs. Is that something that you noticed or that you could see on the mound that maybe they were trying to, say, hit the six-run homer?

NATHAN EOVALDI: No, not necessarily. To me, they have the power, but at the same time, when they make contact, they run down the baseline hard. They don't give up on any of the outs, and I think that means a lot to the Rays' organization and all. They play really good defense, and again, you don't want to give any team to get that opportunity to get the ball going, especially at their home ballpark.

The crowd was into the game today. There were moments where they were trying to get the players going. They were having quality at-bats. It's not as if it was a two- or three-pitch at-bat. They were having quality at-bats, and I think that's just postseason in general.

Q. I think you've been asked this already, but you're locked in on a game, you're performing, but whenever you've had a chance to gaze over and look at Evan Carter, what are you seeing in terms of maturity and why he would be able to perform at this level in this series?

NATHAN EOVALDI: Yeah, his approach that he's had all season, I think, from the moment he came up, he's very poised and confident. He's got a very simple approach, and he likes to stick to that.

I think as a hitter when you have that identity, you have your approach, you know what works for you. It's the same with pitching. I know what my strengths are. I know how to attack the hitters, and he's got his strengths where say that ball comes inside. I don't know what his approach it. But whenever that pitch comes in there, he makes sure that he capitalizes on it, and if he doesn't, he flushes it away, and he goes to work. He has quality at-bats. He knows that he's got speed, power.

Again, it's just that confidence that he brings, that simple approach where he's able to go out there and put together quality at-bats for us, and he's huge because he's been batting at the eighth or ninth spot in the lineup, and then it rolls it over to Semien and Seager, Nate, Noley, everybody else at the top, and when you can get guys from the bottom of the lineup on base for those guys, good things are going to happen.