SEATTLE -- Cody Bradford returned from a multiyear 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.
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. So every now and then he'll have some tough starts, and that's OK. We're excited to have him, and he's part of our future. There's no doubt about it. But I feel like there are times where he's not completely back to where he wants to be.”
Entering Wednesday, the Rangers were 1-5 in Bradford’s six outings this year, though he had received two runs of support or fewer in five straight starts. With an 0-4 record through his six starts, Bradford was the first Texas pitcher with four losses and no wins through his first six games of a season Andrew Heaney in 2024.
“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,” Schumaker said. “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.”
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.