Rangers’ Eovaldi set for MRI after groin injury

ARLINGTON, Texas — Texas right-hander Nathan Eovaldi left Thursday’s 6-0 win over Washington with right groin tightness and will get an MRI on Friday.

Eovaldi threw a 94 mph fastball to Luis Garcia Jr. for strike one after issuing a one-out walk to Nick Senzel while holding a 3-0 lead. Eovaldi then turned and faced the outfield. He was visited by manager Bruce Bochy and head trainer Matt Lucero and left for the dugout.

“I went to throw it, and I kind of felt it,” Eovaldi said. “The initial thoughts that went through my head were I can call out the training staff, then maybe get the two warmup throws just to kind of check it out and stuff, but they wanted to play it safe and take me out of the game.”

“We’ll see how it feels (Friday). Just play it safe. Again just trying to be smart with this, not push it.”

“He may need some rest,” Bochy said. “That’s what we’re going to find out. We’ll take care of him and do what’s right.”

Eovaldi limited the Nationals to two hits and two walks over 5 1/3 innings while throwing 92 pitches — 13 short of his season high. He struck out eight batters for the fourth time this year, his season high.

Eovaldi went 12-5 for Texas last season, tying for the team lead in wins as the Rangers went on to win the franchise’s first World Series title. Signing as a free agent in December 2022, he was Texas’ No. 1 starter for much of the season after 2023 acquisitions Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer were sidelined with injuries. DeGrom and Scherzer have yet to pitch this season.