Kyle Bradish broke down the contract negotiations between him and the Baltimore Orioles.
The Baltimore Orioles front office has made a habit of locking up players they have developed before they reach free agency.
During the 2025 season, that player was catcher Samuel Basallo who was signed to an eight-year deal after just four games in the big leagues.
This year, it was right-hander Kyle Bradish, who signed a five-year, $90 million contract extension that runs through the 2031 season and buys out two years of arbitration and three years of free agency.
Bradish was originally drafted by the Los Angeles Angels in the 2018 MLB Draft but spent less than two years there before being included in a prospect package sent to Baltimore in 2019 in exchange for right-hander Dylan Bundy. He has been an Oriole ever since.
During Baltimore's current series against the Minnesota Twins, Bradish appeared on the Foul Territory podcast and broke down how the contract negotiations unfolded.
He revealed that the two sides did discuss an extension before the season but those talks fell through likely because Baltimore was hesitant to commit to a player still coming off major surgery.
The Orioles then tried again after the All-Star break, reaching out to Bradish's agent, and the two sides eventually came together and got the deal done.
"It really came down to the fact that this is where me and my wife want to spend the next five years. We're comfortable here. We really like the staff that's been brought in this year," Bradish added.
Bradish's journey to this point has not been easy. He debuted in 2022 and was underwhelming, posting a 4.90 ERA.
In 2023, though, he fully broke out across 30 starts, helping the Orioles make the playoffs while posting a 2.83 ERA and finishing fourth in American League Cy Young voting.
The following season he suffered a torn UCL in his right elbow that required Tommy John surgery, and he did not return until August 2025.
This year, with a normal ramp-up under his belt, Bradish is right back to being one of the more effective pitchers in baseball. Across 23 starts he has posted a 3.69 ERA with 121 strikeouts across 127 innings and a 1.339 WHIP.
As the Orioles attempt to salvage their season and push for the final American League wild card spot, having Bradish going every fifth day is one of the more reassuring constants on a roster that has gone through big changes since the trade deadline.
