The Rays announced this morning that they have withdrawn right-handed people Taj Bradley from Triple-A Durham and fellow options Zack Burdi to Durham in his place. This is already Bradley’s third callback of the season, but Marc Topkin of Tampa Bay Times reports that top pitch leads are expected to be installed in the rotation in a more permanent way in the future. Manager Kevin Cash told Topkin that the Rays “see him as one of our better options to move on.”
22-year-old Bradley, one of the most highly regarded prospect pitchers in all of baseball, made three starts in his first campaign at the MLB level. During that time, he hit 15 thirds and held his opponent to six runs (3.52 ERA) with 12 hits and two walks with an impressive 23 punches. He fanned 38.3% of his opponents compared to a walking rate of just 3.3% in that small sample, and hit an average speed of 96.4 mph on his heater.
Things have not been so smooth for the lower tier players this season. Bradley made three starts after his most recent demotion and was tagged for 16 bad runs in nine innings in that span, although most of the damage to him came in one The nightmarish outing caused Bradley to hit eight runs in a working inning. That sour period, however, won’t affect his chances of winning a long-term spot in the team’s rotation.
Even if Bradley continues to rotate from this point on, he will end the season with 146 days of Major League service, leaving him apprehensive all year. A top-two finish in the Rookie of the Year vote could still replace that cumulative service and award Bradley a full year of service, as agreed under the 2022-2026 collective bargaining agreement. . If he doesn’t, he’s well on his way to Super Two status and qualify for arbitration four times instead of the standard three – the first of which will drop after the 2024 season. , Bradley will be in control throughout the 2029 season (again, pending a Rookie of the Year vote or future optional missions).
The Rays have one of the most talented pitching staff in all of baseball but have been plagued by injuries, even since the 2022 season, when prospects were high. Shane Baz underwent Tommy John surgery. Early 2023 season, left-handed Jeffrey Springs looks set to take his game to the next level after a breakout performance in 2022, but he only started three times before requiring Tommy John to have surgery. The Rays also lost their rights Drawing Rasmussen to a forearm strain that would keep him out of action for at least two months.
Tyler Glasnow, meanwhile, has missed most of the 2022 season while recovering from a Tommy John procedure and is yet to play in 2023 due to an oblique strain. He is expected to return on May 26, according to Topkin. That will align Glasnow and Bradley in rotation along with Shane McClanahan, Zach Eflin And Josh Flemingas long as all can stay healthy.
right-handed person Yonny Chirino And Cooper Criswell offers some depth outside of that group, but a string of injuries is putting even longtime pitcher-rich Rays to the test. Another notable injury or two will put the organization in a more difficult position. Tampa Bay has a lot of attractive arms on the farm (example: Mason Montgomery, Cole Wilcox), but most of their top-rated pitchers other than Bradley are a bit further away. Former Top Potential Customers Luis Patino was moved from rotation to the barn in Durham and struggled in both roles. Rays have look at stretched out right-wing Calvin Faucher, but his longest game to date was 2 2/3 – back on April 15. Since then, he hasn’t thrown the ball more than two innings in a single appearance. The team, of course, pioneered the use of the opener and is no stranger to the bullpen game; That tactic is always an alternative, but will cost employees in the long run.
For now, the hope will be that Bradley secures a spot in the starting lineup and Glasnow will be back in about a week. From a bigger picture perspective, Bradley will be looking to follow in McClanahan’s footsteps as the next homegrown rotating star from a Rays organization that regularly produces high-quality pitchers (both those drafted and commercially acquired).
