Sources: Texas Rangers ace Nathan Eovaldi has surgery for sports hernia

Right-hander Nathan Eovaldi, who posted a 1.73 ERA this season for the Texas Rangers, underwent surgery Wednesday in Phoenix for a sports hernia, according to baseball sources.

General manager Ross Fenstermaker said last week that Eovaldi was headed to Arizona in the coming days for a consultation after experiencing discomfort late in the season. Eovaldi was shut down in August because of a strained rotator cuff.

The expectation is that Eovaldi will be ready by the start of spring training in mid-February. A late-season scan of his shoulder showed healing in the rotator cuff, and the club said he would have a normal offseason.

The typical downtime following surgery for a sports hernia is six to eight weeks, which would end when Eovaldi typically cranks up his throwing.

He and right-hander Jacob deGrom are expected to lead the Rangers’ rotation in 2026. The 2025 Rangers pitching staff led the majors in ERA for the first time in franchise history.

In addition to the late-season injury, Eovaldi missed time in May with shoulder fatigue. The two injuries conspired against him leading the majors in ERA. He did not throw enough innings to qualify for the ERA title.

Jeff Wilson, jwilson@alldlls.com