Cody Bradford is finally back on the mound for the Texas Rangers, and they need him more than ever.
On Wednesday against the San Francisco Giants, Texas Rangers left-hander Cody Bradford took the mound for the first time since Sept. 25, 2024.
Bradford — who was a rookie during the Rangers’ 2023 run to winning the World Series — suffered an elbow injury during spring training in 2025 that required an internal brace procedure and dashed any hopes of him being able to become a consistent starter for Texas.
Bradford’s recovery was tedious and long, and his start against the Giants was his first in 679 days, but he looked as if he had not missed any time at all.
In 4.2 shutout innings of work, Bradford struck out five batters while allowing five hits and two walks. The 28-year-old was solid in his return, and for him, being back on the mound invoked the same feelings he had when he made his MLB debut on May 15, 2023.
For the Rangers, Bradford’s return could not have come at a better time.
As it stands, Texas has seven pitchers on its Injured List. Some of them include left-hander Jordan Montgomery, right-hander Jack Leiter and right-hander Jakob Junis.
Even after winning two out of three games against the Giants, the Rangers are still trying to recover from a rough six-game losing streak that put them below .500 once again. Texas is currently second in the American League West Division, and it has less than two months to make a legitimate run to get into the postseason.
The good news is that getting someone like Bradford back will help, and the results he produced in his first game back are even more encouraging. Now, having another starting-caliber arm in the rotation will help take some pressure off Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi.
Additionally, the Rangers are set to get Montgomery back soon, who was another pivotal piece of the World Series roster. He will be making his long-awaited reunion with the team after not pitching since 2024, when he recovered from Tommy John surgery.
The last time Montgomery pitched in an MLB setting, he was a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks after he signed with them in March 2024. Perhaps having Bradford and Montgomery back on the mound will provide a needed spark for the Rangers.
This is because both know what it is like to work in high-leverage moments. In 2023, Texas made it to the postseason as a Wild Card team and fought through a gauntlet to eventually win it all.
Now, the Rangers require a strong finish to the season to get back to playing October baseball, and Bradford and Montgomery are well-acquainted with that type of pressure.
