Red Sox Rumors: SP Nathan Eovaldi Discussions 'Intensifying'

Negotiations between free-agent pitcher Nathan Eovaldi and the Boston Red Sox are "intensifying," according to The Athletic's Robert Murray. 

Eovaldi is viewed as one of the top arms currently on the market. This comes after the 28-year-old missed the entire 2017 season after requiring a pair of operations, including the second Tommy John surgery of his career. 

The veteran right-hander started the 2018 season as a member of the Tampa Bay Rays. After going 3-4 with a 4.26 ERA in 10 starts for Tampa, he was traded to Boston in July.

That proved to be a vital deadline deal for the Red Sox. Not only did Eovaldi help Boston win a franchise-record 108 regular-season games by going 3-3 with a 3.33 ERA in 12 games (11 starts), but he also came up big in the postseason.

Eovaldi went 2-1 with two holds a 1.61 ERA over the course of six postseason appearances, including two starts. He recorded 16 strikeouts in 22.1 innings. And while he ultimately took the loss, he will forever be remembered by his gutsy six-inning outing against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 3 of the 2018 World Series:

That 97-pitch performance came after he had appeared in each of the first two games of the series. He wound up allowing just two runs (one earned) on three hits over six frames while fanning five.

The Red Sox would go on to win the series in five games.

Along with Boston, the New York Yankees and the Houston Astros have both been linked to Eovaldi:

Joel Sherman of the New York Post reported the Yankees are "hesitant" to make a run at bringing Eovaldi back to the Bronx, where he pitched from 2015-16, if he is pursuing a four-year deal.

The news of negotiations heating up comes one day after Patrick Corbin reportedly agreed to a six-year, $140 million contract with the Washington Nationals, per MLB.com's Jamal Collier.