The Texas Rangers made an unexpected rotation change Saturday when Nathan Eovaldi was scratched from his scheduled start vs. the San Diego Padres due to left knee soreness. The move forced the Rangers to adjust their pitching plans shortly before first pitch at Globe Life Field, with MacKenzie Gore moving into the starting role.
The Rangers originally scheduled Eovaldi to take the mound, but the team removed the veteran right-hander from the lineup because he experienced what it described as a little left knee soreness.
The change pushed the Rangers into a quick rotation pivot. MacKenzie Gore, whom the Rangers had lined up for Sunday, moved into Saturday’s starting role, leaving Sunday’s series finale without a scheduled starter.
Dallas Morning News’ Shawn McFarland first reported the development on X, formerly Twitter, while outlining the immediate impact it will have on the rotations’ pitching schedule.
“The Rangers have scratched Nathan Eovaldi with ‘a little’ left knee soreness.
Mackenzie Gore will start. Tomorrow is TBA.”
The Rangers have scratched Nathan Eovaldi with “a little” left knee soreness.
Mackenzie Gore will start. Tomorrow is TBA.
— Shawn McFarland (@McFarland_Shawn) June 20, 2026
The update leaves Sunday’s starter undecided and adds uncertainty for a club trying to gain ground in the AL West. Texas entered Saturday at 36-39 and continued chasing division-leading Seattle Mariners.
The Rangers have not indicated an injured list move, but the situation draws attention because it marks another interruption in the season. The 36-year-old previously missed a May start due to left-side tightness before returning successfully.
Through 14 starts, Eovaldi owns a 6-7 record with a 4.23 ERA, 83 strikeouts, and a 1.17 WHIP across 87.1 innings. While those numbers remain useful, they fall short of the standard he has set in recent seasons.
His availability matters because Texas needs dependable innings from its veteran starters while trying to stay within striking distance in a crowded postseason race.
For now, the Rangers appear focused on caution rather than panic. The immediate priority is managing Eovaldi’s health while maintaining stability in a rotation that suddenly faces important questions heading into the remainder of the Padres series.
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