Texas Rangers Game Today: Is Nathan Eovaldi the AL Cy Young Favorite After Dominating Yankees?

Nathan Eovaldi continues to cement his case as the AL Cy Young frontrunner after another masterclass performance against the New York Yankees. His eight scoreless innings lowered his ERA to a jaw-dropping 1.38, leaving batters baffled and the Yankees scoreless for their fifth consecutive loss.

Even the return of Aaron Judge couldn’t spark New York’s offense, as the slugger struck out twice in his first game back from the IL. Eovaldi’s dominance—backed by his near-unhittable stuff and surreal 2025 stats—has become the driving force behind the Rangers’ surge.

Is Nathan Eovaldi the AL Cy Young Favorite?

Nathan Eovaldi continues to dominate the 2025 season with stats that seem almost unreal. After shutting out the Yankees with eight scoreless innings, his ERA has dropped to an incredible 1.38. This performance has catapulted him into serious consideration for the AL Cy Young Award. Eovaldi has been particularly effective since returning from an elbow injury earlier this season, showing no signs of slowing down.

Numbers don’t lie – Eovaldi’s consistency puts him ahead of the pack. The way he’s commanding his fastball and slider combo reminds me of prime Justin Verlander.

But what about Dylan Cease’s strikeout numbers? And doesn’t Gerrit Cole have better advanced metrics?

Eovaldi’s Road to Cy Young

When examining Eovaldi’s season, several factors stand out. His WHIP sits at a microscopic 0.89, and he’s averaging nearly 9 strikeouts per nine innings. Perhaps most impressive is his ability to perform in big games – he’s now beaten both the Astros and Yankees in crucial matchups this season. The veteran right-hander has shown remarkable command, walking just 1.7 batters per nine innings.

How Did Aaron Judge Look in His Return?

Yankees fans were excited to see Aaron Judge back in the lineup after his elbow injury, but the night didn’t go as planned. The slugger struck out twice against Eovaldi, showing obvious rust in his timing. Manager Aaron Boone had Judge batting cleanup, but the captain couldn’t deliver against Texas’ ace.

Judge’s struggles aren’t surprising after missing time. What concerns me more is how vulnerable the Yankees look without him at 100%.

They’ve lost five straight now! The offense looks completely lost against quality pitching.

Yankees’ Offensive Woes

New York managed just four hits against Eovaldi and the Rangers bullpen, continuing a disturbing trend. Since Judge’s injury, the team has fallen to third in the AL East and shows signs of cracking under pressure…

What’s Wrong With the Yankees Rotation?

While Eovaldi was dominating for Texas, Yankees starters continue to struggle. The rotation ERA has ballooned to 4.32 over the last month, with Carlos Rodón’s inconsistency becoming particularly concerning. Manager Aaron Boone faces tough decisions about his pitching staff as the trade deadline approaches.

Rangers’ Playoff Chances After Big Series Win

Texas has quietly moved into playoff contention thanks to stellar pitching and timely hitting. Their recent series win against Houston followed by the Yankees sweep shows this team might be for real. With Eovaldi leading the rotation and Marcus Semien providing power at the plate, the Rangers look like serious contenders.

When Will Jacob deGrom Return?

One missing piece for Texas has been Jacob deGrom, who recently achieved a historic milestone with 1,800 strikeouts but expressed frustration after a tough loss. The Rangers have been cautious with his recovery timeline, but fans are eager to see their ace duo of Eovaldi and deGrom together in October.

Rotation Depth Questions

While Eovaldi has been lights out, Texas needs more consistency from their backend starters. Jon Gray has shown flashes but needs to string together quality starts…

Look at that dominance! What makes Eovaldi special is he’s not just winning – he’s completely shutting down good lineups.

Can he keep this up though? He’s 35 and has that injury history…