Earlier this week, the Tampa Bay Rays made the move to send rookie pitcher Taj Bradley back down to triple-A to play for the Durham Bulls. This move came after Bradley played in three impressive starts for the Rays in order to add depth to an injury-riddled starting rotation.
Where did he come from?
Bradley was the number one prospect in the Tampa Bay farm system according to MLB.com. He is a 22-year-old right hander from Stone Mountain, Georgia. He was drafted in the 5th round of the 2018 MLB draft by Tampa Bay. Bradley also had a commitment to play college baseball at South Carolina.
In 2022, Bradley made 28 appearances in minor league games for both the Durham Bulls and Montgomery Biscuits. On both teams, he finished with a combined record of 7-4 with a 3.66 ERA in Durham and a 1.70 ERA in Montgomery. He also combined for 141 strikeouts in 133.1 innings pitched.
Following an injury to starting pitcher Jeffrey Springs that will require Tommy John surgery, the Rays called Bradley up to help revitalize the rotation. In his three games, he did just that.
Bradley’s Performances for Tampa Bay
Bradley’s first start came against the Boston Red Sox on April 12th. In that game, he pitched five complete innings giving up five hits and three earned runs. However, he was poised throughout most of his first start by throwing 8 strikeouts and walking just one batter.
The next start came six days later against the Cincinnati Reds. This game was his first road start in Great American Ballpark. Bradley looked even more on point than his first start with no runs given up, only one batter walked, and just three hits, all through five innings of pitching. He also recorded 9 strikeouts that game.
His final start in his short stent as a Ray came against the defending champion Houston Astros. In this matchup, Bradley did give up 2 home runs and 3 earned runs on 4 hits. However, he managed to keep a good strikeout number with 6 in the game. In five innings pitched against the Astros, Bradley managed to earn the win regardless of the hits given up.
The rookie’s stat-line in these four games leaves him with a 3-0 record, a 3.52 ERA, and 23 strikeouts in 15.1 innings pitched. Although he is back in Durham, the injuries to the pitching staff may mean he will receive a call to play in Tropicana Field again very soon.