ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — The Texas Rangers lost their most reliable starting pitcher Monday, placing right-hander Nathan Eovaldi on the 15-day injured list with right posterior elbow inflammation — his first IL stint of the 2026 season — and recalled right-hander Ben Peoples from Triple-A Round Rock ahead of a series opener against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium.
The move was made retroactive to Aug. 9, meaning Eovaldi is ineligible to return until at least Aug. 24.
Eovaldi, 36, had been the unquestioned anchor of the Texas rotation, leading the club in both wins and innings pitched while making all 22 of his scheduled starts this season. He carries a 10-9 record and a 4.21 ERA with 137 strikeouts and 32 walks in 132⅔ innings, along with a 1.206 WHIP. Among American League qualifiers, he ranks tied for fifth in wins, eighth in strikeout-to-walk ratio (4.28) and 14th in strikeouts per nine innings (9.29).
He made his final start before the IL placement Friday at Globe Life Field against Baltimore, allowing one run in 5⅓ innings without a decision. Since joining Texas ahead of the 2023 season, the Rangers are 60-38 in his 98 regular-season starts; Eovaldi is 45-25 with a 3.38 ERA over that span.
Peoples, 25, was optioned to Round Rock just two days earlier but did not appear in a game for the Express before being recalled. The right-hander had been one of the more pleasant surprises in the Texas bullpen this summer, posting a 2.19 ERA with a 1.054 WHIP in 12 relief appearances between July 2 and Aug. 7 — going 0-1 with three earned runs in 12⅓ innings.
The White Sox traded Peoples to Texas in a minor league deal on June 30. The Rangers selected his contract two days later, and he made his major league debut July 4 against Detroit, tossing two scoreless innings of relief.
With the transactions, Texas remains at the 40-man roster limit. Seven players are currently on the 60-day injured list: right-handers Carter Baumler, Jose Corniell and Jack Leiter; left-handers Jalen Beeks and Robert Garcia; infielder/outfielder Michael Helman; and catcher Danny Jansen.
