AL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: RANGERS VS ASTROS

October 20, 2023

Nathan Eovaldi

Globe Life Field

Texas Rangers

Pregame 5 Press Conference

Q. When you pitch on Sunday, it's either going to be send this team to the World Series or keep the season alive. As a competitor, is that like the peak of opportunities, I guess, to have that?

NATHAN EOVALDI: Yeah, I mean, you say right there, it's either to stay alive or we're going to the World Series. So I think that's why we set the rotation the way we did and everything, the way we lined it all up. Monty has been throwing the ball great. He's on the mound today. And I've got to come in ready to go.

I don't think you really change up too much of what we did before. Mechanically, I felt like I was a little off that game. I feel like I made that adjustment. And hopefully I'll be able to locate my pitches a little bit better and go out and leave it all there for that game.

Q. Can you talk to the point that this is what you guys live for. Some people might not understand, but this is what it's all about?

NATHAN EOVALDI: Yeah, this is it right here. We're two wins away from going to the World Series. We're on a really good stretch right there where we won seven in a row. Monty set the tone, and I was able to follow that up.

And we're back to that situation today. Have Monty go out there. And again, that's what ultimately -- I enjoy facing the hottest teams. I fully believe that pitching wins championships. We're able to put teams in a funk, go out there and set the tone early. You're locating your pitches and attacking the hitters, you don't give in.

Obviously you're going to pitch a little differently, depending on how aggressive they're going to come out swinging. But that's what you prepare for, and that's what you get ready for.

Q. Boch was asked if this roller coaster season prepared your team for this series. How do you see that? And if you could touch on the confidence level that you guys still have at this point.

NATHAN EOVALDI: We've been playing really good baseball. Again, I think it's the pitching. The last two games we haven't come out and thrown the ball as well as we've shown that we can. We've given up the runs early in the game. I think our offense has done an incredible job in fighting back.

They've given us an opportunity to win every game. Whether it's the third inning or the seventh, they found a way to make it a close game again. And the defense has been outstanding. It's just back on the pitching to make sure that we go out there and we do our job and attack the hitters.

I think it starts with the rotation. We're able to go out there and set the tone and makes that job a little easier for the bullpen when they come in.

Q. Nathan, physically, maybe even mentally, the time that you missed earlier in the season, does that turn into any sort of advantage for you? Do you feel like that has maybe allowed you to be stronger, sharper at this time of year?

NATHAN EOVALDI: Yeah, I'm a big believer, again, things happen for a reason. The stretches that we went on early in the season, how well we were playing to having the struggles to catching fire at this time again.

But my arm feels great. I had that time off where obviously I'm recovering, trying to get healthy again, but also too to lock in all my mechanics. Sometimes when things are going good, you keep doing the same thing, even though you may not be feeling great.

But I feel really good right now and locked in all my mechanics and stuff again. But I think, again, my body is where it needs to be especially at this point. Innings-wise and things like that, I think we just kind of take that and don't think about it, we're so focused on six more wins to go to get to our ultimate goal.

Q. The Astros have had so much success in this ballpark. Is that something you think about, or is that something we as the media make too much of?

NATHAN EOVALDI: I don't know. I don't really think about it too much. I think it just comes down to pitching. We've got to make sure we come in locked in from the very first pitch.

We know they're an aggressive team. We know they're capable of driving the ball out of the ballpark. And the last two games they've come out swinging right out of the gate. We've got to make sure we're prepared for these next two games.

And I think pitching holds the key for everything. As long as we're out there and doing our job, it will be a good game for us.

Q. You mentioned adjustments and facing a team a second time in one series. Are these adjustments you make pregame, going into the game, or are these adjustments that you're seeing how the game goes and progresses?

NATHAN EOVALDI: I think it's more so seeing how the game goes. I'll come in with my plan of attack, how I want to attack these guys, see if there's any adjustments I need to make from the last time I faced them for certain batters.

But for the most part, go out there and use my strengths again and kind of react to what they're doing up there at the plate.

I said before, they're an aggressive team, they're really good on making contact with the ball and making things happen. I've got to keep mixing up my pitches and keeping them off balance.

Q. Being out with injury is a little bit of a forced reset, I guess. At what point when you were building back up with the rehab did you feel like you were at the beginning of the year when things were going so well?

NATHAN EOVALDI: I definitely feel like I was at the beginning of the season, just being able to go deep in the games, especially being postseason games, there's a lot on the line.

I'm not sure which game it was, it was probably the one after Toronto, I had that start after Toronto, here against Boston, I felt that was heading in the right direction. I felt like I started getting back on the right path.

And actually the start, my start last one against Seattle at their place, obviously the results weren't the best, but that's probably when I started feeling the best mechanically and physically. So I'm trusting those again and going out there and getting back to pitching instead of worrying about my mechanics and stuff like that.

Q. You mentioned keeping hitters in a funk. How hard is it to put a team in a funk, when the Astros are swinging it like they are, and is that more challenge in the pitch clock area or just because you don't have as many means to slow the game down when the team is rolling?

NATHAN EOVALDI: I mean the pitch clock makes it difficult because there are times you feel like you're rushed. Sometimes a few of the Astros hitters, too, they take their time getting in the box, wait until it's at that eight-second mark. And you've got to make sure you've got your pitch and you've got to wait until they're ready to go.

Putting them in a funk, I think it's more so about you attacking the zone. Again, strike 1, we had too many walks last night, put us in a bad spot, giving them free bases, you've got to make sure that they earn it all. And ultimately they're going to end up beating you with the home runs. If you can leave it to singles, you have a better chance of getting that double play ball and getting out of those situations.

Q. You're from Houston area, have a home down there, but during the playoffs do you stay with the team or go check in at the house and mow the yard?

NATHAN EOVALDI: In the past I've always done that, with the -- both my kids are in school, and we have a new puppy. So she's been barking a lot. So I've been staying at the hotel. This is my first time I've stayed at the hotel.

I've got a lot of friends and family down there, and they'll be going to the games and stuff. They understand the situation, they're very respectful of it. It's nice. It's easy.