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Atlanta Braves trade rumors: Nathan Eovaldi getting a look

By Alan Carpenter

NEW YORK, NY - JULY 08: Pitcher Nathan Eovaldi #24 of the Tampa Bay Rays delivers a pitch against the New York Mets during the first inning of a game at Citi Field on July 8, 2018 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. The Rays defeated the Mets 9-0. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - JULY 08: Pitcher Nathan Eovaldi #24 of the Tampa Bay Rays delivers a pitch against the New York Mets during the first inning of a game at Citi Field on July 8, 2018 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. The Rays defeated the Mets 9-0. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images) /
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The Braves’ pitching worked well through much of of the season’s first half.  Lately, though, there have been some struggles, so an outside look makes sense.

The Atlanta Braves seem to understand that a veteran starting pitcher may be needed to help get this club … well, just through the rest of the year – never mind the playoffs.  Multiple pitchers have been breaking down in myriad ways over the past month.

This trade rumor is about a week old now, but in recent days the idea of adding Nate Eovaldi seems to be making more sense.

In case you had missed it, here’s that rumor courtesy of Bill Chastain, the Rays’ beat writer for MLB.com:

"Count Nathan Eovaldi on several teams’ wish list. The right-hander started for the Rays Monday night and pitched in front of scouts or representatives from the Cubs, Phillies, Red Sox and Braves. All are contending teams hoping to fill a void they’ve identified."

True – this isn’t only the Braves that are checking him out.  In fact, you almost have to wonder if these scouts are all traveling together from game to game, since the list of reachable/available starting pitchers really isn’t that long this Summer.

But Eovaldi has been making Rays’ officials smile quite a bit lately as he could end up rewarding their decision to take a flyer on him for 2017-18 after Tommy John surgery.

In fact, after missing part of 2016 and all of 2017, Eovaldi finally got into a game at the end of May.  After a first outing that made many sit up and take notice (6 innings, zero hits), Eovaldi had some struggles:  4, 3, 5, and 4 earned runs in 4 starts between June 5th and 20th.

Wasn’t really looking trade worthy at that point.

Since then, though, something has clicked:  0 runs, 2 runs, and 0 runs in 19 innings.  In two of those, he gave up only a single hit apiece… one of those came vs. Washington.

Now based on the timing of Chastain’s story, the scouted game (if there was only one) would have been July 2nd against Miami.  The line from that game went 6 IP, 8 hits, 2 runs (both earned), and 1 walk.

While that was the worst thing he’s done lately (and not terrible at that), I want to draw your attention to a stat that has been a big issue for Atlanta lately.

The Walking Man

Eovaldi is throwing strikes.  In looking at every one of his start’s stat lines this season, there’s one thing that stands out strongly – whether he shut down the opposition or not:  he has walked 2 men once… and less than that every other time he has taken the ball.

More from Tomahawk Take

6 walks in 48.1 innings. 

1.12 walks per 9 innings.  Let me put that into perspective for you.

Greg Maddux made a career over throwing the ball exactly where he wanted to put it.  His career walk rate was 1.80 per 9 innings, and he beat that 1.12 rate that Eovaldi is posting in just 4 seasons of his 23 years in the majors.

Now if history is an indicator, Eovaldi may not be able to sustain that for the rest of 2018, for his career rate is 2.80.  But then again, 2.80 would still be welcomed on the Braves’ staff.

As a staff, the Braves’ starting pitchers have been walking batters a lot more often:

Walks have been a problem, no doubt.  It’s still an issue for the bullpen (4.34 rate over the past month), but the idea that starters have been giving more free passes is the new thing.

So is this why the Braves are interested in Eovaldi?  It’s quite possible.

In ranking all starters in the majors by walk rate (with at least 20 innings pitched this season), Eovaldi is third overall behind only Ross Stripling (Dodgers) and Corey Kluber (Indians)… and neither of them is available.

His Tampa Bay Rays are 2 games over .500 at 46-44 (actually better than the 45-45 Nationals), and while that’s impressive, they have zero shot since they’re sitting 16 full games behind the high-flying Red Sox.  So Eovaldi will be cashed in for some shiny prospect.

Next: How good has Swanson been on Defense?

Will the Braves be the team that bites?  There is certainly reason to think seriously about Eovaldi.  Stay tuned until later this month.

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