Cody Bradford Offers Hope as Texas Rangers Star Pitchers Start to Return

The Texas Rangers need more quality starts from quality pitchers, as Cody Bradford did Thursday, if they hope to contend again in 2024.

Aug 15, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers starting pitcher Cody Bradford (61) pitches against the Minnesota Twins during the game at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports / Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

If it feels like the Texas Rangers have been waiting on the pitching cavalry all season, you’re right. In some form or fashion, the defending World Series champions have longed for the returns of arm after arm after arm.

Some were expected to be out for most of the season – Jacob deGrom, Max Scherzer, Tyler Mahle. Others have gone down at some point, such as Nathan Eovaldi, Jon Gary and Cody Bradford.  

The hope – what little hope the Rangers have left at this point – could be wrapped up in those arms. The impending returns of Eovaldi (starts Saturday), plus Scherzer, Gray and deGrom are significant, should Texas crawl its way back in the American League West race.

Another starter who’s missed significant time, Bradford, crafted a quality start Thursday, albeit in a 3-2 loss to the Minnesota Twins. The setback stings, but the outing shouldn’t be ignored.

The lefty did not factor into the decision while notching his third quality start of the season, going six innings and allowing six hits, two earned runs, walking two and striking out two in 104 pitches (68 strikes).

The pitch count was a career high, which is another good sign that Bradford is back. He had never previously eclipsed the century mark in pitches in a professional game, with the previous best being 99 with Triple-A Round Rock in 2023.

Bradford allowed a pair of runs in the second inning, including a Willi Castro solo home run, but did not allow a runner to advance past second base for the remainder of his outing. He worked out of a first-and-second, one-out jam in the sixth  by inducing a popout and flyout to preserve the 2-2 deadlock.

Bradford gave way to José Leclerc after six complete innings and the game still tied. He has gone 4-0 with a 2.38 ERA (9 ER/34.0 IP) as a starter this season, joining Tommy Hunter (5-0, 1.98) as the only pitchers in Rangers history to go 4-0-or-better with an ERA of 2.38-or-lower over his first six starts of a campaign.

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