3 weeks agoTampa Bay Rays right-hander
Taj Bradley was inconsistent in his spring training start on Thursday against the Toronto Blue Jays. He went 5 ⅓ innings and allowed nine hits, three earned runs, two walks, and only four strikeouts. It's not necessarily the start fantasy managers were looking for, as Opening Day is less than a week away. Bradley enters the 2025 season as the No. 4/5 starter for the Rays, and although he has shown a lot of upside in his first couple of seasons in the MLB, he has shown just enough clunkers, similar to his start on Thursday. Hopefully, he can showcase more consistency in 2025 to live up to his potential and help the Rays compete for an AL East title.
--Nicho Roessler - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
1 month agoTampa Bay Rays starting pitcher
Taj Bradley unveiled a new pitch during Tuesday's spring training contest against the Philadelphia Phillies. Bradley's new pitch is a modification of his cutter that moves like a slider. Bradley noted that this pitch will look to limit hard contact. Last season, the right-hander showed flashes of potential times but struggled to find consistency as he struggled to keep the ball in the park. He allowed a high 10.2 percent barrel rate with a 42.9 percent hard-hit, which placed him in the ninth and 15th percentile, respectively. The 23-year-old also allowed a high 1.4 HR/9, which was one of the worst marks among starting pitchers last season. However, he was able to generate strikeouts at a strong 26.6 percent rate and whiffs at a 27.4 percent rate. If this new pitch finds him success during camp, he could become an intriguing late-round target when looking for an upside starting pitcher.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Marc Topkin
6 months agoTampa Bay Rays starting pitcher
Taj Bradley tossed six innings of shutout ball in Friday's 2-1 victory over the Red Sox, allowing just three hits and one walk while striking out seven on the way to earning his eighth win of the season. It caps off an up-and-down season for the righty, as he had a nine-game stretch where he pitched to a 0.82 ERA in the middle of the season, but allowed four runs or more on eight other occasions. Still, his final 4.11 ERA and 1.22 WHIP were improvements over 2023, and his 3.69 SIERA might offer a ray of hope for next season's fantasy prospects as the 10.04 K/9 ability should remain intact.
--Jarod Rupp - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
8 months agoTampa Bay Rays starting pitcher
Taj Bradley continued his recent struggles in Monday's 6-1 loss to the Astros. Bradley pitched 4 1/3 innings, allowing six runs on eight hits (including two home runs) and two walks with six strikeouts. He also hit a batter. The 23-year-old is now 6-7 on the season with a 3.49 ERA, a 10.57 K/9 rate, and a 3.12 BB/9 rate in 17 starts and 95 1/3 IP. While his season numbers are solid, he has struggled in his last three starts, allowing 15 earned runs in just 14 IP. Things won't get easier for him in his next start, which will be against a surging Diamondbacks lineup. Fantasy managers may consider sitting him if they can afford to.
--Connelly Doan - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
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