GameDay Preview (Saturday): For Rays Starter Taj Bradley, Music & Movies Keep Him Locked Into Routine

Taj Bradley is a rookie with the Tampa Bay Rays, and the right-hander is just 22 years old. But he's learned a great routine to be ready to pitch every five or six days, and the added maturity has led to a lot of success during his first year in the big leagues. He pitches against the Texas Rangers on Saturday.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — In baseball's never-ending search for quality pitching, there is nothing with more risk and reward than signing stud pitchers right out of high school. Many make it to the big leagues, but many flame out as well.

The common thread for the ones who don't make it is often that inability for a teenager to grow up with the game. They don't learn the baseball journey the right way, or how to take care of their body. Especially for starting pitchers, it's also important to learn a quality between-starts routine as well.

Taj Bradley, Tampa's Bay brilliant 22-year-old rookie, is a poster boy for that growth. The Georgia native readily admits he wasn't sure what he was doing when he first signed with the Rays in 2018 out of high school, but he found a good routine in the minors last year and Durham, and he sticks to it now in the big leagues. 

That's why, even at 22, he always looks calm, cool and collected on the mound, and in the clubhouse.

Rookie Taj Bradley has 48 strikeouts in his first seven starts, which ties him with Charlie Morton for the most ever by a Tampa Bay pitcher in their first seven outings. (USA TODAY Sports)

"I keep the headphones on, music, movies, anything like that. That's just how I go through my day. I've kept the same routine from the minor leagues, and I just solidify that on the start day, the day after, lifting. I got comfortable with that, and you figure it out. I feel good here.

"And that I just want to go about my day and have fun. It's all about those two hours I'm out there. I'm the same way at home. I don't go out. I listen to music, watch movies, just stay home and stay true to my routine.'' 

Bradley has made seven starts so far, and he's 4-2 with a 3.60 earned run average. He goes again on Saturday when the Rays take on the Texas Rangers at Tropicana Field.

And he's ready to go. 

"I'm going in confident, and I just stay locked in and pitch my game. I've never faced them before. It's my first time,'' Bradley said. "I stay in my comfort zone, After that last outing — (a 6-2 win over Boston last Sunday) — I was pretty happy with it. I want to do more of that, get ahead in the count, and make it hard for hitters that way. Just want to stay in pitcher's counts.''

This is a big series for the Rays, who have now won seven games in a row after their 8-3 win over Texas to open the series on Friday night. They Rays have the best record in baseball (47-19), and the Rangers, who are 5-2 so far in June, are second at 40-22.

And if it feels like the Rays start off every series right at home, that would be true. They are 12-0 in series openers at Tropicana Field

"I don't we feel any pressure at all. I walk around the clubhouse and everybody's having fun, a good time, joking, playing dominos and everything. Nobody goes in stressed about the team we're playing in the upcoming series.''

The Rays' current win streak is the longest active run in the majors. They also have the longest win streak all year, 13 games to start the season. During this winning streak —  three wins each over Boston and Minnesota, plus Friday's win — they are outscoring opponents 35-11 and they have pitched to a 1.43 ERA. Opponents are hitting just .157 against them. 

Tampa Bay has been great at home all year, posting a 30-6 mark. It's the best start at home since  the 1998 New York Yankees also went 30-6, and the Rays are one of just five teams since 1901 to get off to such a hot start. 

The first-ever Lowe vs. Lowe matchup finally takes place today, with brothers Nathaniel Lowe (Texas) and Josh Lowe (Tampa Bay) playing against each other in a big-league game for the first time. Both are batting third in their respective batting orders. (See link to story below.)

Nathan Eovaldi gets the start for Texas on Saturday. He's been great all year, posting an 8-2 record with a 2.24 ERA. He has allowed one run or less in six of his 12 starts. Eovaldi is 6-0 with an 0.68 ERA in his last seven starts. He has some history with the Rays, pitching here in 2018. H

The two teams wrap up the series on Sunday at 1:40 p.m. ET.

Here are Saturday's starting lineups:

Texas Rangers starting lineup

1. Marcus Semien, 2B
2. Corey Seager, SS
3. Nathaniel Lowe, 1B
4. Adolis Garcia, RF
5. Josh Jung, 3B
6. Jonah Heim, C
7. Travis Jankowski, LF 
8. Ezequiel Duran, DH
9. Leody Taveras, CF

SP — Nathan Eovaldi (8-2, 2.24 ERA)

Tampa Bay Rays starting lineup

1. Yandy Diaz, 1B
2. Wander Franco, SS
3. Josh Lowe, RF
4. Randy Arozarena, LF
5. Isaac Paredes, 3B
6. Luke Raley, DH
7. Jose Siri, CF
8. Francisco Mejia, C
9. Vidal Brujan, 2B

SP — Taj Bradley (4-2, 3.60 ERA)

Related stories on Rays-Rangers

• LOWE FAMILY REUNION:  Brothers Nathaniel Lowe and Josh Lowe were on the same major-league field on Friday night, and they were joined by a lot of family and friends when the Texas Rangers and Tampa Bay Rays got together for a showdown of the two best teams in baseball. Josh didn't get to play, but that will finally happen on Saturday. It's a great family story. CLICK HERE
• RAYS PUMMEL RANGERS IN OPENER: Isaac Paredes hit two home runs and an RBI double, driving in six runs overall in Tampa Bay's 8-3 win over the Texas Rangers on Friday night. The Rays wanted to get off to a good start in this series with the two best teams in baseball, and they did exactly that. Tyler Glasnow pitched well, too, getting his first win in two years. CLICK HERE
• WATCH PAREDES HOME RUNS: Tampa Bay third baseman Isaac Paredes hit two home runs on Friday night in the Rays' easy 8-3 win over the Texas Rangers. Here are the highlights of both bombs into the left-field seats. CLICK HERE
• RAYS' AMAZING HOME RECORD: Tampa Bay and Texas have the two best records in baseball, and they meet for the first time on Friday night in St. Petersburg. The Rays are 29-6 at home, the best record over 35 games since the start of the expansion era in 1961. Here's your Friday gameday preview. CLICK HERE