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Texas Rangers With Back-To-Back 1-0 Shutouts For The 1st Time In Franchise History

Matt TallariniApr 3, 20254 MIN READ
Texas Rangers With Back-To-Back 1-0 Shutouts For The 1st Time In Franchise History

Ace right-handers Nathan Eovaldi and Jack Leiter carried the Texas Rangers to a historic pair of 1-0 shutout wins over the Cincinnati Reds on April 1 and 2 at Great American Ballpark.

Texas is now 5-2 in the American League Western Division to start the 2025 season, prior to their three-game home series against the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday, April 4 at 8:05 p.m. EDT.

Cincinnati is currently 2-4 to begin the year and will play the Milwaukee Brewers on the road to begin their four-game series on Thursday, April 3 at 7:40 p.m. EDT.

This is the first time in the Rangers’ franchise history that they have won back-to-back 1-0 games.

On Tuesday, April 1, Rangers starter Nathan Eovaldi threw the first complete game shutout of the 2025 Major League Baseball season.

Eovaldi chucked nine innings, allowing four hits, no walks, and struck out eight batters, while creasing 99 pitches for 70 strikes.

This was the first time the Rangers had collected a complete-game shutout with 99 pitches or less since September 2015.

It was Eovaldi’s second career shutout with the Rangers since April 29, 2023, and his third shutout and fifth complete game.

Tuesday’s win was the first complete game shutout by a Ranger within the club’s first six games of the season since 1998.

The only run of the game for the Rangers offense on April 1 was a solo home run over the left field wall from left fielder Wyatt Langford in the top of the first inning that traveled 361 feet.

The Reds’ offense left three men on base on Tuesday and were 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position.

The time of the game on Tuesday took two hours and 13 minutes.

After Eovaldi gave up a leadoff line drive single to right field off Reds pinch hitter Jacob Hurtubise in the bottom of the ninth inning, he retired the next three batters: TJ Friedl grounded out on a sacrifice bunt to first base, Matt McLain flied out to center fielder Leody Taveras, and Elly De La Cruz grounded out on a 3-1 pitch to seal the 1-0 win.

Eovaldi is currently 1-0 to start the 2025 season in his two starts and has thrown 15 innings, posting a 1.20 ERA. He has allowed seven hits, two earned runs, one home run, no walks, and 17 strikeouts.

Jack Leiter Maintained His Composure In 1-0 Win Over Cincinnati On Wednesday Afternoon

Leiter dazzled through five innings, allowing one hit and striking out six on Wednesday afternoon in their 1-0 win against the Reds.

Leiter rifled 70 pitches for 46 strikes.

Rangers relievers Jacob Webb, Robert Garcia, Chris Martin, and Luke Jackson combined for four innings, allowing two hits and recording four strikeouts.

Leiter, to start the 2025 season, has a 2-0 record in his two starts with a 0.90 ERA, throwing 10 innings, allowing six hits, one earned run, no home runs, one walk, and 10 strikeouts.

The lone run for the Rangers’ offense came off the bat of Josh Smith with a double to center field in the top of the fourth inning, which scored Joc Pederson.

Jackson entered the bottom of the ninth inning. He replaced Martin and eventually got Elly De La Cruz to ground out to second baseman Marcus Semien for the final out of the game and to beat the Reds 1-0 on Wednesday afternoon in their final game of their three-game road series.

Texas’s pitching staff to start the 2025 season through seven games has a combined 2.90 ERA, throwing 62 innings with one complete game and four saves, allowing 47 hits, 20 earned runs, six home runs, 20 walks, 68 strikeouts, and a 1.081 WHIP, entering Friday’s home series against Tampa Bay.

Eovaldi and Leiter will need to urge some breathing room with their starting rotation under 2023 World Series champion manager Bruce Bochy in the first month of the 2025 season. Jacob deGrom, Kumar Rocker, and Tyler Mahle are listed on the team’s depth chart, and Cody Bradford is on the 15-day injured list, alongside Jon Gray on the 60-day injured list, entering the third series of the year.

 

(AP Photo/Kareem Elgazzar)

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