Rangers RHP Nathan Eovaldi declines $20M, becomes free agent

All-Star right-hander Nathan Eovaldi declined his $20 million option with the Texas Rangers on Monday and will become a free agent.

Rangers president of baseball operations Chris Young told MLB.com the team still has a lot of interest in making a new deal with the two-time World Series winner.

Eovaldi, 34, had a vesting option in his contract for the 2025 season that depended on whether he threw a combined 300 innings in his first two seasons with Texas in 2023 and 2024.

Eovaldi threw a total of 314 innings over that span, compiling a 24-13 record with a 3.72 ERA in 54 starts. In 2023, he made his second All-Star team (2021 with Boston) and won his second World Series (2018 with Boston).

Eovaldi is 91-81 with a 4.07 ERA in 294 games (275 starts) over 13 seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers (2011-12), Miami Marlins (2012-14), New York Yankees (2015-16), Tampa Bay Rays (2018), Red Sox (2018-22) and Rangers.