Reporter Sangjin Oh = Texas Rangers’ ‘big game pitcher’ Nathan Evoldi, who will be the starter in Game 1 of the World Series, is attempting to become the first player in history.
MLB.com, the official Major League Baseball website, quoted Texas manager Bruce Bochy’s announcement on the 26th (Korean time) as saying, “Evoldi will be the starting pitcher for Game 1 of the World Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks.” Coach Bocci said, “Ivoldi has had enough rest. He is ready to go.”
Evoldi has appeared in 4 games this postseason and is showing overwhelming performance with 4 wins and an ERA of 2.42. Wild Card Series against the Tampa Bay Rays (6 ⅔ innings, 6 hits, 8 strikeouts, 1 run), Division Series against the Baltimore Orioles (7 innings, 5 hits, 7 strikeouts, 1 run), and Game 2 against the Houston Astros in the Championship Series (6 innings, 5 hits, 9 strikeouts, 1 run). He recorded quality starts in all four games, including Game 6 (5 hits, 4 strikeouts, and 2 runs in 6⅓ innings).
This is not the first time that Evoldi has shown a strong performance in fall baseball. Lee Boldy, who experienced his first postseason with the Boston Red Sox in 2018, performed exceptionally in 6 games (2 as a starter), 2 wins, 1 loss, 2 holds, and an ERA of 1.61. In particular, in the World Series, he contributed to Boston’s victory by recording an ERA of 1.13 with 1 loss and 1 hold in 3 games. His 3rd game, in which he recorded 1 loss, was on the mound from the 12th inning in a game that lasted until the 18th inning, and he lost the game after pitching 6 innings, allowing 3 hits and 2 runs (1 earned).
In 2021, Ibolda, who recorded 2 wins, 2 losses, and an average ERA of 4.79 in 5 postseason games (4 starts) in Boston, is recording good results in fall baseball with a total of 8 wins, 3 losses, and an average ERA of 2.87 in 15 games. In particular, in the 10 games in which he appeared as a starting pitcher, the team won 9 times, and Evoldi recorded 8 wins, 1 loss, and an average ERA of 2.59.
If Evoldi wins the first game against Arizona, he will become the first pitcher in major league history to win five games as a starter in a single postseason. Previously, three pitchers: Randy Johnson (2001, 4 wins as a starter – 1 win in relief), Francisco Rodriguez (2002, 5 wins in relief), and Stephen Strasburg (2019, 4 wins as a starter – 1 win in relief) made a single postseason appearance. recorded 5 wins, but no pitcher has yet achieved 5 wins purely as a starter.굿모닝토토
Meanwhile, Arizona’s starting pitcher to face Evoldi was Jack Gallen. Gallen has appeared as a starter in all four games this postseason, recording 2 wins, 2 losses, and an ERA of 5.24. They won two consecutive games, including the Wild Card Series against the Milwaukee Brewers (6 innings, 5 hits, 4 strikeouts, 2 runs) and the Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers (5 ⅓ innings, 5 hits, 4 strikeouts, 2 runs), but lost 2 against the Philadelphia Phillies in the Championship Series with an ERA. He showed a poor showing of 7.36 (9 runs allowed in 11 innings).
Game 1 of the World Series, in which Evoldi and Galen face off as starters, will be held at Texas’ home stadium, Globe Life Field, at 9:03 a.m. on the 28th.