Cody Bradford Making Case to be Texas Rangers Starter in 2025

Texas Rangers pitcher Cody Bradford, 4-1 in seven starts this season, figures to be an important part of the staff next season.

Aug 20, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers starting pitcher Cody Bradford (61) throws during the first inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports / Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

The Texas Rangers were flat once again offensively in Tuesday’s 4-0 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates, but the outing of starter Cody Bradford shouldn’t be ignored.

If anything, it offer furthers proof that Bradford could be a permanent part of the rotation next season regardless of whatever high-priced arms are healthy.

The 26-year-old left-hander did suffer his first loss of the season despite authoring a quality start and tying a career-high with eight strikeouts. Bradford went seven innings, allowing three runs on five hits and did not walk a batter.

He threw 71 of his 96 pitches for strikes, a 73.9% which was the second highest of any of his 15 career starts. (Bradford hit 74.2% on April 5 against the Houston Astros.) He retired the first nine batters faced before a three-run fourth that included a couple of hard-luck hits by the Pirates.

Bradford has gone 4-1 with a 2.63 ERA across seven starts for Texas this season. That’s the lowest ERA by any Rangers pitcher over the first seven starts of an age 26-or-younger campaign since Nick Martinez in 2015 (1.88 ERA).

Bradford would have had more starts if not for nagging injuries that cost him a good chunk of the season. He does feel there is something to learn each time he takes the mound, with many of the lessons learned being mental.  

“If you can trust your stuff and have confidence that you may not throw the hardest, but you can actually throw pitches where you need to more times than not, the results will be good,” Bradford said, according to MLB.com.

Bradford’s performance in 2024 bodes well for next season, especially with the Rangers essentially out the playoff race. Whether he’s a starter or not, the native of Aledo, Texas likely won’t have to audition for a spot on the staff in 2025.

“I don’t know if these next six weeks are all that important to him, because we know how good he is and what a great job he’s done with us, starting or coming out of the bullpen,” manager Bruce Bochy said Tuesday night, according to MLB.com. “He gave us a chance to win. You’ll take those seven solid innings there. His arm is fresh. He’s missed a lot of time. He was out there in the seventh, 90 pitches and still locating with good stuff, just like last game.”

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