Two-time All-Star starter Nathan Eovaldi officially became a free agent on Monday after opting out of a vested $20 million player option for the upcoming season with the Texas Rangers.

As a result of this decision, Eovaldi will receive a $2 million buyout, which he earned by pitching over 300 innings during his two seasons with the Rangers after joining the team as a free agent.

Notably, he was the winning pitcher in the 2023 World Series-clinching game against Arizona, finishing the postseason with an impressive 5-0 record and a 2.95 ERA in six starts.

Eovaldi was also part of the Boston Red Sox team that won the title in 2018.

While the Rangers anticipated that Eovaldi would decline the option, they remain interested in re-signing the 34-year-old right-hander, who hails from Texas.

Chris Young, the team’s president of baseball operations, stated, “We still have great interest in bringing him back. We’re still going to work towards hopefully getting him back in the Rangers uniform.”

In addition, the Rangers declined a $6.5 million team option for left-handed reliever Andrew Chafin, who was acquired from Detroit during the trade deadline.

Chafin received a $500,000 buyout and also became a free agent after making 62 combined appearances in 2024, which triggered $625,000 in bonuses in addition to his $4.75 million salary and a $250,000 assignment bonus from the trade.

His contract with the Rangers totaled $34 million, which included a $16 million salary for each of the past two seasons and a $2 million signing bonus, along with multiple bonuses for being named an All-Star in 2023 and for reaching certain innings milestones.