ARLINGTON, Texas — Cody Bradford gave up 3 home runs in four innings Wednesday afternoon, matching the career high he set in a start at the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sept. 11, 2024. The 5 runs he allowed were a season high. The Athletics beat the Texas Rangers 9-2 at Globe Life Field.
Bradford returned last month after undergoing an internal brace procedure on his left elbow in June 2025. He missed the entire 2025 season while recovering. His Sept. 25, 2024 appearance was his last in the majors until he returned this season against the San Francisco Giants at Globe Life Field.
Cody Bradford Allows Home Runs To Henry Bolte And Zack Gelof
Henry Bolte tied the game in the third with a two-run homer with nobody out, and Zack Gelof followed with a solo shot that put the Athletics ahead 3-2. Bolte hit a second two-run homer in the fourth, this one with two outs, for a 5-2 lead. Robby Ahlstrom started the fifth in Bradford’s place.
Bradford allowed 7 hits and 1 walk and struck out 3. He fell to 0-4.
Bradford put the Athletics in hitters’ counts.
“I think fastball command and changeup command were kind of hit and miss today at times,” Bradford said. “I think the inconsistency, falling behind in counts, putting them in hitters’ counts … they made some good damage swings.”
It was not the first time Bradford had pointed to fastball command since returning. After allowing 2 runs on 8 hits over four innings against the Athletics on Aug. 16 in West Sacramento, he gave a similar assessment.
“Not having great fastball command makes any game a grind,” Bradford said. “I made too many mistakes over the middle of the plate when I really needed to locate something on the outer half or the inner half, and I wasn’t able to make that happen today.”
Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said Texas lost its at-bats against Jacob Lopez after the second inning. Lopez allowed 2 runs on 6 hits with 2 walks and 7 strikeouts over six innings.
Cody Bradford’s Season Since His August Return
Bradford allowed 3 runs on 5 hits over seven innings on Aug. 11 at Angel Stadium, throwing 75 pitches in a 3-2 loss to the Los Angeles Angels.
The Rangers reinstated Bradford from the 60-day injured list on Aug. 5 after four rehab starts with Triple-A Round Rock and Double-A Frisco. He allowed 1 run over those 10 innings with 16 strikeouts and 2 walks, and he built up to 56 pitches.
Bradford worked 76 1/3 innings for Texas in 2024 and finished with a 3.54 ERA and 1.01 WHIP. He struck out 70 and walked 13. The Rangers selected the Aledo native in the sixth round of the 2019 draft out of Baylor. Before Baylor, Bradford pitched at Aledo High School.
Nathan Eovaldi went back on the 15-day injured list this week. Texas stays home Thursday to begin a four-game series with the Tampa Bay Rays at Globe Life Field. Cal Quantrill gets the start for the Rangers. The opener begins at 7:05 p.m. CT on Rangers Sports Network.
