The starting pitchers for Game 1 of the World Series are set. In the corner, Texas Rangers pitcher Nathan Ewaldi will make his first career World Series start on Friday. In the other corner will be Arizona Diamondbacks ace Jack Galen, making his first World Series start.
Eovaldi comes into this postseason with a 4-0 record and a 2.42 ERA. He entered the tournament fresh with a must-win win for Texas — in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series in Houston on Sunday. Ewaldi also recorded wins in his team’s wild-card and division-round clinchers.
“Nate had a lot of rest. He’s ready to go,” the Texas manager said Bruce Bochy said Wednesday about the right-hander.
This isn’t the first time the native Texan has played in the Fall Classic. In the first three games of the 2018 World Series, Ewaldi pitched in relief as the Boston Red Sox played the Los Angeles Dodgers. The 33-year-old finished the final six innings of the marathon, 18 innings with a home run off Max Muncy in the third.
Gallen, by contrast, opened the playoffs with wins in the wild-card and division series, but lost both games he started in the National League Championship Series against the Philadelphia Phillies. He enters the World Series with a 5.24 ERA.
