Good Sign! Injured Texas Rangers Left-Hander Starts Rehab In Arizona

The Texas Rangers are hoping to get left-hander Cody Bradford back from his injury soon as he starts his rehab assignment.

Apr 10, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers starting pitcher Cody Bradford (61) pitches against the Oakland Athletics during the seventh inning at Globe Life Field. / Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Injured Texas Rangers left-hander Cody Bradford took his next step toward returning to the pitching staff as he started a rehab assignment in Arizona on Friday.

Bradford pitched with the Arizona Complex League Rangers against the ACL Brewers. He started and pitched a perfect first inning, striking out one hitter. Kumar Rocker replaced him in the second inning.

The Rangers announced that Bradford would make the rehab start on Friday afternoon, while also announcing that veteran starter Tyler Mahle would make his next rehab start with Triple-A Round Rock on Saturday. Rangers starter Dane Dunning is expected to follow Mahle on Saturday as he makes his way back from injury.

But Mahle and Dunning have already taken rehab starts. Getting Bradford back on a mound against live hitting is a good sign for his potential return.

Bradford went on the 15-day injured list on April 14 with what was called a low back strain. About a week after, more imaging revealed that Bradford had a relatively freak injury — a right rib stress fracture. After that, the Rangers moved him to the 60-day IL.

After that diagnosis the Rangers shut Bradford down for a month to accelerate the healing process.

The Rangers expect to slot Bradford in the bullpen when he’s ready to return.

At the start of the season, Bradford quickly became a bright spot in the starting rotation that was down several veterans, including Mahle, Max Scherzer and Jacob deGrom.   

When Bradford left for the injured list he was 3-0 with a 1.40 ERA in his first three starts, with 17 strikeouts and two walks in 19 1/3 innings.

Bradford made his Major League debut last year for the Rangers after the Aledo, Texas, native had a dazzling first month at Triple-A Round Rock. He saw action in 20 games, started eight and went 4-3 with a 5.30 ERA as he helped the Rangers win their first World Series.

Before pro baseball, he pitched for Baylor, where he was the 2018 Big 12 Pitcher of the Year before a bout with thoracic outlet syndrome limited him to three games in 2019 before he had surgery.

Even with the surgery, the Rangers picked him in the sixth round of the 2019 MLB Draft. Bradford did not pitch professionally until 2021 due to the surgery and the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, which shut down all of minor league baseball.