Rangers Place Nathan Eovaldi on 15-Day IL With Elbow Inflammation

Texas Rangers right-hander Nathan Eovaldi, who leads the team with 10 wins and 132 2/3 innings, has been placed on the 15-day injured list.

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The Texas Rangers placed right-hander Nathan Eovaldi on the 15-day injured list Monday due to inflammation in his pitching elbow. The transaction occurred immediately before the club began a road series against the Los Angeles Angels. To fill the roster vacancy, the Rangers recalled rookie right-hander Ben Peoples from Triple-A Round Rock. Eovaldi currently leads the Texas pitching staff in wins with a 10-9 record and has logged a team-high 132 2/3 innings across the 2026 campaign.

In his most recent start on Friday night, the 36-year-old limited the Baltimore Orioles to a single run and four hits. He threw 86 pitches over 5 1/3 innings before his departure. Eovaldi maintains a 4.21 ERA this season and had remained on the active roster since Opening Day, despite missing one scheduled start in May due to tightness in his left side. The Texas native has provided significant stability since joining the organization in 2023, pitching to a 45-25 record with a 3.38 ERA over 98 regular-season starts.

Historical Context of Eovaldi’s Elbow Issues

This marks a recurring health concern for the veteran starter, who also spent time on the injured list last season for elbow inflammation. During that 2023 campaign, Eovaldi posted an 11-3 record and a career-best 1.73 ERA before his season concluded prematurely because of a rotator cuff strain. The current move to the IL comes at a time when Eovaldi was serving as the primary workhorse for the Rangers' rotation, having surpassed the 130-inning mark before the mid-August road trip to Anaheim.

Roster Adjustments and Ben Peoples’ Return

Ben Peoples returns to the major league roster just two days after being optioned to Triple-A Round Rock on Saturday. The rookie right-hander previously spent exactly one month with the Rangers, appearing in 12 games as a reliever between July 2 and August 8. During that span, Peoples recorded a 2.19 ERA and an 0-1 record. His promotion provides immediate bullpen depth as the team navigates the loss of their win leader for at least the next two weeks.

Statistical Impact on the Texas Rotation

The loss of Eovaldi removes a pitcher who has averaged nearly six innings per start this year. His 4.21 ERA through 132 2/3 innings represents the bulk of the team's veteran production. Since the start of his tenure with Texas in 2023, Eovaldi has maintained a winning percentage of .642. The Rangers must now replace his production as they open their series in California, relying on a pitching staff that will miss his 86-pitch efficiency demonstrated in his final outing against Baltimore. The 15-day IL stint is retroactive to his last appearance, though the club has not specified a definitive timeline for his return beyond the mandatory two-week period.