Key facts
- Texas Rangers pitcher Nathan Eovaldi was scratched from his start against the San Diego Padres on Saturday.
- The reason for the scratch is left knee soreness.
- Lefty MacKenzie Gore was moved up to start in Eovaldi's place.
- The starter for Sunday's game against the Padres has not yet been announced.
- This is the second time Eovaldi has been scratched from a start in the past month.
- Eovaldi has a 6-7 record with a 4.23 ERA in 14 starts this season.
Texas Rangers right-hander Nathan Eovaldi was scratched from his scheduled start against the San Diego Padres on Saturday due to left knee soreness. Lefty MacKenzie Gore was moved up a day to replace Eovaldi, and the Rangers did not immediately announce a starter for Sunday's series finale. This marks the second time in just over a month that Eovaldi has been scratched from a start. He previously missed a May 11 start against Arizona due to tightness in his left side, but returned to pitch seven scoreless innings in his next outing. Eovaldi, a two-time All-Star, is currently 6-7 with a 4.23 ERA in 14 starts this season. Last year, he did not pitch after August 22 due to a right rotator cuff strain and later underwent sports hernia surgery, finishing the season with an 11-3 record and a 1.73 ERA in 22 starts. The Rangers' offense is coming off a 9-7 win over the Padres on Friday night, with designated hitter Joc Pederson at the top of the order to face Padres right-hander Walker Buehler, against whom Pederson has a .273 lifetime batting average. The American League West race remains tight, with the Rangers trailing the Seattle Mariners by two games.