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Atlanta Braves free agent profile: Nathan Eovaldi

By Benjamin Chase

BOSTON, MA - OCTOBER 24: Nathan Eovaldi #17 of the Boston Red Sox delivers the pitch during the eighth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game Two of the 2018 World Series at Fenway Park on October 24, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - OCTOBER 24: Nathan Eovaldi #17 of the Boston Red Sox delivers the pitch during the eighth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game Two of the 2018 World Series at Fenway Park on October 24, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /
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Atlanta Braves
PHOENIX, AZ – JULY 09: Starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi #24 of the Miami Marlins throws a pitch against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning of a MLB game at Chase Field on July 9, 2014 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Ralph Freso/Getty Images) /

The Cost

MLB Trade Rumors ranks Eovaldi as the 7th best available free agent this offseason. He certainly could receive a premium for his postseason performance. MLBTR predicts that Eovaldi will return to the Red Sox for four years and $60 million, an average annual value of $15 million.

Certainly, for a guy who has never pitched 200 innings in any season and has only exceeded 30 starts one time in his career, this could be viewed as a very risky proposition. Of course, I’m strictly talking about the 4 years part of the deal. In spite of his youth (29 in February), there’s enough risk that signing Eovaldi for four years, a tough suggestion for any non-elite pitcher, could be a significant mistake.

More from Tomahawk Take

One intriguing thing that has come out of early hot stove discussion on Eovaldi is that multiple teams are considering the right-hander as a bullpen option. That brings a very intriguing option into play.

Eovaldi’s elite fastball velocity and excellent control played up in the bullpen, making him nearly unhittable. While teams viewing him as a #3/4 starter may be willing to pay full retail on him in that role, that’s typically a $10-$13 million value.

Perhaps the Atlanta Braves could jump the market by offering Eovaldi something like 2 years, $30-$35 million guaranteed with incentives and option years built into the deal that could be triggered based on what role he found himself with on the team at the end of 2020. With the right incentives, that deal could work out for everyone involved.

Next. Braves FA profile: Bryce. dark

Whether the Atlanta Braves would be interested in a flexible deal as mentioned that would allow for Eovaldi to work as either a starter or power reliever is questionable, but if so, it could be a way to get a big value out of Eovaldi’s gifted arm.

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