Red Sox Rumors: Nathan Eovaldi Drawing Interest from BOS, Phillies, Giants, More

Free-agent pitcher Nathan Eovaldi is considered one of the hottest names on the open market, with up to nine teams vying for his services.

Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe reported Saturday the Brewers, Phillies, Braves, Angels, Red Sox, White Sox, Blue Jays, Padres and Giants are "the early suitors."

Eovaldi, 28, finished 6-7 with a 3.81 ERA and 1.13 WHIP last season, which he split between Boston and the Tampa Bay Rays. Cafardo reported Eovaldi "would love" to return to the Red Sox, with whom he won the World Series and posted a 2-1 record and 1.61 ERA during the postseason. He became a hero in Boston for his relief performance during an 18-inning World Series Game 3 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

"After the game was over I started crying," Red Sox starter Rick Porcello told reporters. "He literally gave everything he had on every single pitch."

Eovaldi has undergone two Tommy John surgeries, with the most recent costing him the 2017 season. Odds are teams will be hesitant to give him a lengthy contract because of that injury history, but the reported list of teams interested proves there could be a bidding war.

"I enjoyed my time over there a lot," Eovaldi said of his tenure with the Red Sox on MLB Network Radio. "When I got traded over there, they made me feel right at home right away. And then doing everything I did in the postseason, the fans, they've just showed me so much ... love and support. It's definitely going to be hard to leave there if it doesn't work out."

Eovaldi may love Boston, but his priority could be to ensure he cashes in as much as possible on the back of his excellent October.