March is in full swing, meaning it won't be much longer before the 2025 MLB regular season begins. Although the L.A. Dodgers and Chicago Cubs will play in Japan in just over two weeks, Opening Day for the majority of the MLB — including the Boston Red Sox — is on Thursday, March 27.
The Red Sox's 2025 slate will begin on the road with a four-game series against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field. Even though — like Alex Cora's club — the Rangers missed last year's playoffs, the Red Sox can't afford to underestimate a team that just won the World Series less than two years ago.
Although neither side has announced its Opening Day pitcher yet, the Red Sox are on track to face a familiar face following the latest news stemming from Texas.
Red Sox Projected to Face Rangers SP Nathan Eovaldi on Opening Day
MLB.com's Ian Browne reported that "the Red Sox will not face Jacob deGrom on Opening day." According to Browne, Rangers manager Bruce Bochy revealed on Monday that deGrom will start the year toward the end of the starting rotation.
Without the two-time NL Cy Young winner's experience on the mound, all signs point to ex-Red Sox pitcher Nathan Eovaldi facing his former team.
The Red Sox will not face Jacob deGrom on Opening Day. Manager Bruce Bochy confirmed today the oft-injured righty will open the season at the back of the Texas rotation. That leaves Nathan Eovaldi all but sure to get the nod. Eovaldi was Boston's Opening Day starter from 2020-22.
— Ian Browne (@IanMBrowne) March 3, 2025
Eovaldi, 35, spent his early career bouncing around MLB clubs before the Tampa Bay Rays traded him to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for left-handed pitcher Jalen Beeks. Boston wanted to roll the dice on an up-and-coming hurler who, fortunately, lived up to those expectations.
Eovaldi made 96 appearances (84 starts) for the Red Sox between 2017 and 2022, going 26-18 with a 4.05 ERA and 1.269 WHIP while averaging 9.1 strikeouts per nine innings. The 2021 campaign marked the best performance of the Houston, TX native's Boston tenure, making his first-ever MLB All-Star appearance while finishing fourth in the AL Cy Young voting.
That's without even mentioning the 2018 World Series ring he won with the franchise.
Eovaldi's time with the Red Sox ended during the 2023 offseason when he signed a two-year contract with the Rangers. The 6-foot-2 righty benefited from the change in scenery, posting back-to-back 12-win campaigns while helping Texas win the 2023 World Series. Eovaldi's immediate impact resulted in his signing a new three-year, $75 million contract with the team this offseason.
Although his Rangers career is going well, history has proven that Eovaldi struggles against the Red Sox. On top of having 5.29 ERA in 10 career appearances (9 starts) against Boston, the ex-2008 11th-rounder is 0-1 with a 7.04 ERA in three meetings with his former team since moving to Texas.
Having said that, assuming he gets the nod, the Red Sox-Rangers series opener wouldn't be Eovaldi's first Opening Day start. He previously pitched Boston's first game for three consecutive seasons (2020-22), leading the club to a 1-2 record as he allowed five earned runs on 14 hits with 15 strikeouts across 16 1/3 innings.