Cody Bradford DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Texas Rangers general manager Chris Young said on Saturday that left-hander Cody Bradford (elbow), who will begin the regular season on the injured list due to a sore left elbow, will not throw for at least four weeks. There was hope that Bradford might have a minimal stay on the IL to open the 2025 season, but this news throws that out the window. Fantasy managers that have already drafted the 27-year-old southpaw in deeper leagues may want to expect him to miss at least the first month of the season now that he'll have to start his throwing program from scratch when he resumes tossing. Texas received more bad news regarding their rotation when right-hander Jon Gray fractured his wrist on a line drive on Friday night. The injuries to Bradford and Gray probably mean that both right-handed pitching prospects Jack Leiter and Kumar Rocker will begin the year in Texas' starting rotation.

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.

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Cody Bradford tossed five innings of one-run ball in Saturday's 9-4 win over the Yankees in Game 2 of their doubleheader, outdueling ace Gerrit Cole. Bradford allowed five hits and no walks while striking out seven, picking up his fourth win of the season. Bradford hadn't been effective in his first two starts off the IL, but the 26-year-old was 3-0 with a 1.40 ERA, 0.62 WHIP, and a 21.1% K-BB% in his three starts earlier in the year. If he is getting back to that type of form, the southpaw could be a valuable waiver wire add heading into the final stretch of the season. His next start lines up at home against Minnesota next weekend.