Through a starter’s first 19 outings of a season, Eovaldi’s 1.38 ERA is the fifth-lowest ever, trailing only Bob Gibson (1.06, 1968), Luis Tiant (1.27, 1968), Zack Greinke (1.30, 2015), and Vida Blue (1.37, 1971).

Eovaldi is putting up numbers that have him in elite company this season. The changes he's made are subtle but significant.

Nathan Eovaldi pitched eight sharp innings, Rowdy Tellez blooped a two-run single on a 10-pitch at-bat in the eighth, and the Texas Rangers spoiled Aaron Judge’s return with a 2-0 victory over the New York Yankees.

Nathan Eovaldi impresses with another scoreless performance, strengthening his Cy Young candidacy with a 1.38 ERA.

Eovaldi is now up to 13 quality starts on the season -- five of which have come over his last seven outings -- and he sports a 1.76 ERA, 0.97 WHIP and 120:21 K:BB across 123 innings this season. His next start is lined up for next weekend at home against the Guardians.

One of baseball’s best pitchers this season isn’t even listed among the league leaders, and was left off the American League All-Star team.

He wasn't supposed to be the best starting pitcher at baseball at age 35. Then again, he wasn't supposed to become a World Series icon or a Texas Ranger legend, either. What if the Cy Young Award is next?