Two-time All-Star pitcher Nathan Eovaldi became a free agent on Monday after opting to decline his $20 million player option for the 2025 season with the Texas Rangers.

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

Eovaldi played a crucial role in the Rangers’ World Series victory in 2023, earning the win in the clinching game against Arizona and finishing the postseason with a perfect 5-0 record and a 2.95 ERA across six starts. He was also a key contributor to the Boston Red Sox’s 2018 World Series championship.

Despite the expectation that Eovaldi would turn down the option, the Rangers remain hopeful of re-signing the 34-year-old right-hander, who hails from Texas.

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