It wasn't too long ago, Nathan Eovaldi loved the Astros. This was, after all, his hometown team.
This was one of the reasons when Eovaldi dove into free agency after the 2018 season, there were two teams he told his agents (Sam and Seth Levinson) that should be prioritized above all others - the Red Sox and Houston.
Sure, Eovaldi had to fend off the social media trolling of the Astros' Alex Bregman heading into the teams' postseason clash, with the third baseman posting videos of three home runs surrendered by the Sox pitcher to Houston earlier that season. But things had evened off, thanks in large part to a Game 3 gem at Minute Maid Park during the 2018 American League Championship Series. Water under the bridge.
But, alas, the Astros weren't ready to return the love.
"Houston is home for me," he told WEEI.com during 2019 spring training. "I would have had more talks with the Astros but they just didn’t want any part of it so they were out of the question.
"It’s just one of those things where you accept it for what it is, it’s a business and you go on to the next. Both the Red Sox and Astros were my top priorities. They were my top two. That was our game-plan going in. The Red Sox was where I ended up ultimately, so here I am.
"I was a little surprised it didn’t go any further (with the Astros). Really there were no talks. I was a little surprised by that. But I understand it’s a business and there are no hard feelings or anything like that. I’m happy with the deal I got."
Since then, however, things have got a bit more complicated.
Eovaldi, who is likely to get the Game 1 start against the Astros in the ALCS Friday night, joins a good chunk of baseball in viewing many of the core Houston players with somewhat of a side-eye. That much was clear when asked about how he currently viewed the Astros when appearing on the Greg Hill Show Wednesday morning.
"Yeah, they have a tendency of rubbing guys the wrong way," Eovaldi said. "I don’t necessarily hate any team, but they’re not high up on my list. It happens. I gave up three homers, back to back to back. We were able to come out on top in that series and hopefully we will be able to do it this time."
So, how did the Astros plummet on Eovaldi's list? It's not complicated, as he first articulated during the 2020 spring training, during which he and his teammates were coming to grips with not having their manager, Alex Cora, around.
Yes, Cora was part of the cheating shenanigans that got him suspended for the 2020 season. But part that didn't escape the attention of Eovaldi and others was how the Astros players - who were granted immunity by Major League Baseball in exchange for their testimony - just kept on playing.
"We almost feel like it was taken away from us because of the things over there with the Astros," Eovaldi said on GHS during a 2020 spring training interview.
While Eovaldi has issues with some who will be wearing the Astros uniform when he takes the mound for his second ALCS, there is a deep-rooted love for the Houston area where the foundation of his character and athletic ability was born and raised.
"Anytime I get to play in Houston it’s a special moment for me just with it being so close to home," he said. "I have a lot of family and friends out there. … I think it adds a little bit more excitement to it for me."
And, let's be honest, things have worked out pretty well for Eovaldi since the Astros said thanks, but no thanks after that 2018 season.
He is in the third season of a four-year, $68 million deal with the Red Sox, living life as the staff-leader Boston projected he could be.
"You want to be with the team that wants you the most," Eovaldi said on GHS Wednesday. "It means that much more to you. In ’17 and ’18 when the Rays reached out and took a big chance on me, having me back after having my second Tommy John. You never know how guys are going to recover. They took that chance with me, rehab me and got me back. And then the Red Sox were able to make that trade and get me over here. Again, when a team puts that belief in you and gives you that confidence that they expect you get the things done and they can rely on you. It means a lot to you as a player."
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