Cody Bradford DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Although an MRI exam on Texas Rangers left-hander Cody Bradford's (elbow) sore left elbow came back clean, he is going to need to start the season on the injured list, according to manager Bruce Bochy. He will be shut down from throwing for up to 10 days to try and get the soreness out. General manager Chris Young said Bradford felt pain in his elbow during his Cactus League start last Thursday. The 27-year-old southpaw had a 1.40 ERA last year when he first landed on the IL on April 14 with nagging back and rib injuries and finished the year with a 3.54 ERA in 76 1/3 innings. It's unclear how much time Bradford might miss to open the 2025 regular season, but his injury now opens up a spot in Texas' Opening Day starting rotation for one of Jack Leiter or Kumar Rocker. Either pitcher would have some appeal for strikeout upside in mixed fantasy leagues if they win a rotation spot.

Texas Rangers left-hander Cody Bradford (elbow) has been scratched from his scheduled Cactus League outing on Wednesday against the Cincinnati Reds, according to general manager Chris Young. Bradford underwent an MRI exam, which came back clean, but he'll be shut down for the next four or five days to get it cleaned up. It's unclear if the 27-year-old will be ready to go for Opening Day now, and between this injury and the injury scare for right-hander Tyler Mahle (forearm), the odds are increasing for both young righties Jack Leiter and Kumar Rocker to open the year in the big-league rotation. The Rangers were planning on using Bradford as a starter early in 2025, but this injury could force their hand in moving him to a bullpen role early on. Bradford lacks high-end velocity and high strikeout numbers, but he's a control artist and generates plenty of weak contact.

Texas Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said it's hard to envision a scenario where a healthy left-hander Cody Bradford doesn't have a role on the team in 2025. Bradford is preparing as a starter in spring training, but Bochy said the Rangers could also give him a role out of the bullpen, where he's pitched well. Texas is leaving their options open with the 26-year-old southpaw after he went 6-3 with a solid 3.54 ERA (3.59 FIP) and 1.01 WHIP with 70 strikeouts and only 13 walks in 76 1/3 innings over 14 appearances (13 starts) in his second big-league season in 2024. The former sixth-round pick in the 2019 MLB draft out of Baylor University could have been even better last year if not for suffering a stress fracture in his rib cage. Bradford relies on pinpoint control and inducing weak contact, which makes him less attractive in fantasy, but that could change if he's move to the bullpen and sees save chances.