In a move that could define the Yankees’ postseason push, New York has officially acquired star pitcher Nathan Eovaldi from the Texas Rangers in a blockbuster trade finalized Thursday morning. The deal sends outfield prospects Spencer Jones and Everson Pereira, along with left-handed pitcher Brock Selvidge, to the Rangers in exchange for the veteran right-hander.
Eovaldi, who signed a three-year, $75 million deal with Texas this past offseason, now returns to the Bronx — the place where he once dazzled in pinstripes during his earlier stint from 2015–2016. The 35-year-old will immediately slot into the Yankees’ rotation behind Max Fried and Carlos Rodón, giving the club one of the most dangerous starting trios in all of baseball.
A Critical Move in the Face of Injuries
With Gerrit Cole still working back from Tommy John surgery and Luis Gil recovering from a long-term injury, Yankees GM Brian Cashman made it clear that standing pat wasn’t an option.
“This is about winning now,” Cashman said in a press conference. “We believe Nathan gives us a proven, playoff-tested arm who can lead us deep into October. We had to give up talent to get him, but that’s the cost of chasing a title.”
Eovaldi is currently 4-3 with a dazzling 1.56 ERA through 12 starts in 2025. While he did leave his last outing with triceps fatigue, Yankees team doctors have cleared him to continue his throwing program. He is expected to make his first start for New York next week against the Minnesota Twins.
What the Yankees Gave Up
To get Eovaldi, the Yankees parted ways with three promising young players:
-
Spencer Jones, their No. 2 overall prospect, was batting .228 with 9 homers in Double-A and had been on track to reach the majors later this season.
-
Everson Pereira, the team’s 12th-ranked prospect, was producing solid numbers in Triple-A (.265 avg, 9 HR, 23 RBIs).
-
Everson Pereira -
Brock Selvidge, a left-handed pitcher with an impressive fastball-slider combo, has shown flashes of mid-rotation upside in the minors.
-
Brock Selvidge
While the loss of Jones in particular stings, the Yankees believe Eovaldi’s presence gives them a legitimate shot at capturing their first World Series title since 2009.
The Bigger Picture
With the AL East still a dogfight and October looming large, this aggressive deal signals the Yankees’ commitment to ending their championship drought. Eovaldi’s postseason pedigree — including a memorable 2018 run with Boston — could be the difference-maker.
“He’s a warrior,” manager Aaron Boone said. “You want guys like that on your side when the lights are brightest.”
The Yankees are now expected to make at least one more move before the trade deadline — potentially targeting another bullpen arm — but for now, they’ve planted their flag. The chase is on, and the message is clear: The Bronx Bombers are all-in.
