With Max Scherzer, Jacob deGrom, Tyler Mahle and Michael Lorenzen on the injured list to start the season, the Texas Rangers needed someone to step up in their pitching rotation. Cody Bradford has gone above and beyond of what the Rangers were expecting.
In his most recent start against the Oakland Athletics, Bradford pitched 6.2 innings, allowing one unearned run while striking out seven compared to just one walk. Texas came away with a 6-2 victory. It was a start that certainly caught the eye of manager Bruce Bochy, who was singing Bradford’s praises after the victory, via Jeff Wilson of Rangers Today.
“You throw like that, you’re not going anywhere,” Bochy said of Bradford remaining in the rotation.
Bradford has been on a tear to start the 2024 campaign, pitching to a 3-0 record with a 1.40 ERA and a 17/2 K/BB ratio. He leads the Rangers in wins and ERA among players with 10+ innings pitched. Bradford ranks first in walks among pitchers with 10+ innings pitched and second in strikeouts.
When Texas sees their pitching get healthier, Bochy will have a difficult decision to make in terms of who occupies the rotation. Braford has made that decision tougher with his strong start to the season. However, it’s a good problem for the Rangers to have, as too much starting pitching is better than a team full of injured stars.
Bradford will have an opportunity to continue auditioning to keep his role in the rotation as the season progresses. If he continues as he has, there’s no way Bochy could take him off the bump.
Cody Bradford’s Rangers rise
Texas selected Bradford in the sixth round of the 2021 MLB Draft. By 2023, he had made his ascent to the major leagues. Over his 60 games at the minor league level, Bradford pitched to a 25-13 record with a 4.35 ERA and a 317/70 K/BB ratio.
While his ERA wasn’t pretty, the right-hander’s strikeouts still pointed a bright light toward his MLB potential. He ranked as the team’s No. 20 overall prospect in 2022, via MLB Pipeline. The Rangers decided to give him his major league chance in 2023.
Bradford appeared in 20 games, starting eight of them and held a 4-3 record with a 5.30 ERA and a 51/12 K/BB ratio. The strikeouts were still impressive, but Bradford’s ERA problems traveled with him from the minor leagues.
If the Rangers hadn’t dealt with so much injury to their starting rotation, it’s fair to wonder if Cody Braford would’ve began the 2024 season in the bullpen. Regardless, he has taken his opportunity in stride and has looked like one of Texas’ best starters. As Scherzer, deGrom and the whole crew make their way back, Bradford will only need to battle harder to keep his role in the rotation.
But he has certainly impressed Bruce Bochy. After each start Bradford is only marking his territory further and proving to be a valuable asset in the Rangers’ search of a World Series repeat.
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