Bradford's rough luck continues in short start in Seattle

SEATTLE -- Cody Bradford returned from a multiyear left UCL repair rehab and was thrown right in a postseason race just five weeks ago.

On Wednesday afternoon at T-Mobile Park, he made just his seventh start of the season with an extra day of rest coming off a season-worst appearance against the A’s on Sept. 2.

Hoping to right the ship, Bradford ultimately allowed three runs in just four innings as he was tagged with his career-high fourth straight losing decision. The Rangers fell, 3-2, to the Mariners, who evened the three-game set.

With the loss, the Rangers (72-74) fell 2 1/2 games behind the Astros (74-71) in the American League West race. They also dropped to two games behind the Guardians (74-72) for the final AL Wild Card spot.

All three runs the Mariners scored off Bradford came with two outs.

“He’s coming off surgery, and it's been almost two years, so he's going to have peaks and valleys,” manager Skip Schumaker said pregame. “It's not easy coming off Tommy John and then having setbacks. … But I feel like there are times where he's not completely back to where he wants to be.

“With what he's doing right now, I'll take my chance with Cody, just because of how much he prepares and how he knows his pitchability. All that stuff is real. But there's going to be some times where just because of Tommy John, you don't have the pitch execution that you're used to having.”

That was the striking point in Wednesday’s loss.

Asked postgame if his execution is not where he wants it to be, Bradford simply said, “That’s fair.”

With a four-seamer that typically tops out around 90 mph, Bradford’s calling card has been his pinpoint command and execution, both of which have been eluding him in his return from rehab.

“I try not to beat myself up week to week because I'm pretty hard on myself, and in the past that hasn't been so great,” Bradford said. “I’m trying to take small wins. The first time through the lineup was pretty efficient outside of the [Cal] Raleigh walk. I liked our game plan, and we executed well. So just trying to build off of that for the next going up.”

Bradford exited the game with the Rangers trailing, 3-1 ,in the fifth, in part because of his declining fastball command.

But the reliever trio of Tyler Alexander, Trevor Williams and Robby Ahlstrom combined for four scoreless innings with only two hits and one walk to keep the game within striking distance.

“You have to make a decision if you want to start chasing or not at that point,” Schumaker said. “Watching it, we felt it was time to kind of make the move and go to some guys that were available to go ahead and chase. They kept it at three runs, so I think they did a heck of a job. We only got one run after the second inning, so that's tough.”

The Rangers are 1-6 in Bradford’s seven outings this year, though he had received two runs of support or fewer in six straight starts. With an 0-4 record through his six starts entering Wednesday, Bradford was the first Texas pitcher with four losses and no wins through his first six games of a season Andrew Heaney in 2024.

On Wednesday, the Rangers got solo homers from Corey Seager and Jake Burger, but those were the only two runs they scored. They collectively went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position.

“I think you know Cody had a good day,” Schumaker said. “Typically, it takes good starting pitching with length. Went to our bullpen early. Bullpen did an excellent job. The runners in scoring position, we had trouble with today. We didn't have any hits with any guys on base, and that was ultimately the reason why we lost the game.”