ARLINGTON – Cody Bradford will take the big test on Friday.
He will attempt to throw breaking balls.
To date, all that has happened in two months worth of recovery and rehab from a left elbow sprain has been both smooth and pretty predictable. It by no means means he’s out of the woods. Breaking balls will provide the ultimate diagnosis.
“It’s a big day,” Bradford said Wednesday. “The volume has been there with the fastball and the changeup. I’m very excited to throw breaking balls, but you just don’t know how the ligament is going to feel.
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“Back in spring, when he first diagnosed me, Dr. [Keith] Meister said, ‘You’ll rest four weeks, you’ll feel really good. If you feel something, it’s going to come when you throw breaking balls.’ I knew it was a long time to wait, but I was like ‘Ok, doc’.”
What goes unspoken: If the ligament doesn’t feel right upon the breaking ball test, then elbow surgery, which would cost him the rest of this year and most of 2026 would become a more significant discussion.
Bradford has thrown four bullpens so far since getting on a mound, his most recent one being 30 pitches on Tuesday. If he clears the breaking ball hurdle, he’ll likely throw two additional bullpens before facing hitters in some capacity.
If all goes well, the Rangers could potentially accelerate his return by having him work out of the bullpen. Last July, Bradford made just two rehab outings after a long recovery from a stress reaction in his lower back. One was a start, but in name only. He went just two innings. The next time out, he asked that if the Rangers planned to use him as a reliever that he enter the game in that role.
If things were to stay as they are, the Rangers’ more pressing need is in the bullpen, which is currently without Chris Martin and has had to shuffle some roles lately.
Though Bradford initially returned to the team as a reliever last year, he shortly thereafter returned to starting and over nine starts to end the season he posted a 3.33 ERA.
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