Just For Starters: Tampa Bay's Taj Bradley Goes 6 Innings in 2024 Debut

Tampa Bay pitcher Taj Bradley missed the first six weeks of the season with a pectoral injury, but he looked good in his debut Friday night.

Tampa Bay's Taj Bradley went six innings in his 2024 debut, allowing just one run. / Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Taj Bradley returned to the Tampa Bay Rays roster on Friday night, and his first outing was a success. Unfortunately, he didn't get any run support from his teammates.

Bradley pitched six innings in his 2024 debut, which was delayed by a right pectoral injury in spring training. He allowed just one run and four hits, racking up seven strikeouts. But he left trailing 1-0. The Yankees won the game 2-0.

Bradley cruised through the first three innings, allowing only a first-inning walk to slugger Aaron Judge. He got into a bit of trouble in the fourth inning, though.

Juan Soto flied out to the warning track in left to open the inning, and then Bradley walked Judge for a second time. He struck out Alex Verdugo, but then Giancarlo Stanton ripped a 116 mph line drive that Rays shortstop Jose Caballaro couldn't handle. First baseman Anthony Rizzo then singled to left, driving in Judge and giving the Yankees a 1-0 lead.

Bradley made it through the sixth inning, allowing just a single in both the fifth and sixth innings. He threw 93 pitches on the night, 59 for strikes.

Bradley appeared in 23 games as a rookie a year ago, starting 21, and posted a 5-8 record with a 5.59 earned run average. A promising prospect, the 23-year-old allowed four runs or more in nine starts in 2023. He did have 129 strikeouts in 104 2/3 innings, an 11.1 average per nine innings.

The Yankees and Rays hook up again on Saturday, with Nestor Cortes taking on Zack Littell. The game starts at 4:10 p.m. ET.

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