AL DIVISION SERIES: RANGERS VS ORIOLES

October 8, 2023

Nathan Eovaldi

Oriole Park at Camden Yards

Texas Rangers

Pregame 2 Press Conference

Q. What stands out to you about this Orioles lineup?

NATHAN EOVALDI: There's a lot of things. I feel like with every team in general coming down to this point, they're going to have power, they're going to have the speed, they're going to be able to work at-bats. I think this team is aggressive on the base paths. They have the speed. Again, it comes down to executing my pitches and trying to stay in the game as long as possible.

Q. What clicked for you in your last start after coming back and struggling from injury?

NATHAN EOVALDI: I feel like my fastball command was a lot better compared to the outings before that. And I had my curveball working really well. If my fastball command is working, then my splitter goes along with that. I think with those three pitches, I was -- with Jonah back there behind the plate calling a great game, we were able to navigate our way through the lineup.

Q. What have you seen from the bullpen these last three games? It seems like it's really been clicking.

NATHAN EOVALDI: Yeah, you know, our bullpen has had their struggles through the year, but at the same time they've had their success. And I feel like in general right now we're playing really good baseball. Starters have been able to go deeper into the games. The bullpen has been able to go out there and execute. The last time it was a little shaky, but we were able to get the job done and ultimately that's what matters.

Q. So much talk about the Rangers offense. Your take on how the pitching has done so well to start the postseason?

NATHAN EOVALDI: Yeah, I mean for me I've been saying it all year, pitching wins championships, and if we can go out and pitch really well, we'll give ourselves a really good chance to win the ball games. Like you touched on, our offense is unbelievable. Any time we can put up some runs early in the game, we feel like it's our job to be able to shut it down.

And again, it goes hand in hand. Defense was really good last night. We got really big double play balls. When the starter is able to go deep in the game, it gives us a chance for the bullpen to come in late and do their job.

Q. You guys didn't start out or intend to have a two-week bicoastal road trip, but that's what it's become. What stands out for you about this road trip and how would you describe what this whole odyssey has been like for the last two weeks for this club?

NATHAN EOVALDI: You know, it's been a lot of -- you had your highs and lows obviously. When we were in Seattle we wanted to win the division. We weren't able to do that. And then we had to fly to Tampa and the main goal was getting to the postseason. We got there. And then now with the regular season done, it's go out there and try to win as many games as we can to win the World Series.

But it's going to be nice to get home. The atmosphere here in Baltimore was amazing. The fans have been electric. But I think we're all really excited to get home and have that playoff game, the first one since 2016, back home. And we feed off of our fans. We feed off of them here.

I always say when you're here and pitching, you want to keep the crowd out of the game. But when we get home after that two weeks being on the road, it's going to be fun to have that crowd. And we're going to feed off of them big time and it's going to be fun.

Q. There hasn't been a game with the roof open at Globe Life Field since late May. I guess it's a possibility for Tuesday that the roof would be open. Do you have a preference with pitching with it open or closed?

NATHAN EOVALDI: I don't know. Not really. Probably have it closed, but it's not up to me. As long as we get to go and play and be back at home and have our fans to support us, it's going to be fun.

Q. You're spent most of your career in the AL East, how does playing in that division prepare a team for the postseason?

NATHAN EOVALDI: To me it's one of the toughest divisions in baseball. The success that they've had and how many teams were in the postseason, their winning records and thing like that, I think we've got a lot of guys that are here with us now that have a lot of experience. And we want to try to simplify. You're here, you want to enjoy the moment, go out and have fun and win those ball games, but don't put extra pressure on yourself either.

That's what we've been able to do well. It starts with the pitching staff, I think, and when we're able to go out and put up zeros, I think it relieves the offense a little bit more and they can go out and put up runs. And it goes hand in hand, like I said earlier, and go out and play good defense. But, again, we've just got to go out there and play our game.

Q. 18 starts against the Orioles. 8-2, low 3 ERA. Obviously it's a different team. Does that mean anything to you? Does that give you any confidence or anything because you have had so much success against them?

NATHAN EOVALDI: Not really, honestly. I'm really bad at remembering the games. Try to flush them as fast as possible. It was more how I was feeling mechanically. Just because I try to never take any team for advantage. I want to go out there and pitch the way I know I can pitch. I said it a lot, I go out and have my game plan and use my strengths against their weakness and go from there.

Q. You have the most postseason experience on this pitching staff outside of Max, obviously. What has allowed you to elevate your game in the postseason and have you imparted any wisdom to the younger guys on staff?

NATHAN EOVALDI: To touch on the younger guys, it's more so the things I've been saying now. Enjoy the moment. This is playoff atmosphere, the fans are going to bring it. It's a lot of fun. But the more you can slow the game down, the better success we're going to be able to have. And having that experience I tried to kind of prepare them for those moments.

Again, I feel like a broken record almost. The leadoff walks, the 2-out walks, those are opportunities for the fans to get back involved in the game. Especially when we're on the road, it's real important to try to keep them out of the game as much as possible. Again Baltimore was bringing it last night. The crowd was in the entire game I felt like.

It was back and forth and luckily we were able to come out on top last night. And it's going to be important again for us to bring that back home. But try not to do too much out there. It's hard to explain, you get that adrenaline, you get those emotions out there, you know how big of a moment it is. But it's almost trying to transfer that energy into more focus than energy and trying to overthrow or overpower anybody at this point in the season.

Come into Spring Training, yeah, I feel like the pitchers are always ahead, you can get away with some of those fastballs. But now it's more location and the focus to go out there and execute things and get it done.

Q. It feels like every October there's more conversation about the diminished role of the starter in the playoffs, more bull-penning, all of that. As a guy that can go really deep in games, what's your perspective?

NATHAN EOVALDI: It's tough, because our bullpens are so efficient nowadays. Everybody has power arms and electric stuff coming out. The shape of their pitches are always good. And as a starter, it's like you almost want to be perfect out there. When you get the opportunity to go deep, it's kind of one of those feel things, it depends on how hard the ball is getting hit and if the defense is really picking you up or if you're able to get that soft contact.

As a starting pitcher, I want to go as deep as possible, because I feel like the less pitchers you get into a game the better chances you have of winning it.

Q. By the time you get the ball in the series, you'll have seen the Orioles lineup twice all the way through from the bench. Does that give you useful information versus video and scouting?

NATHAN EOVALDI: I think it can. It's a little different when we have lefties pitching. I'm really trying to focus on how our righties attack them and how their approach may differ against a right hand pitcher. A lot of time on the scouting work I do, I try to make sure I'm studying the way I would pitch.

My strengths, the fastball command, whether it's up and down, in and out. The same with the off speed usage. I've got all five pitches. So I've got confidence in all of those, but again I have to know what my strengths and weaknesses are.