Cody Bradford's 2026 debut explains Rangers' disappointing trade deadline plans

For the first time in 679 days, Texas Rangers' lefty Cody Bradford returned to the mound in a major league ballgame following left elbow surgery. No one really knew what to expect other than knowing he had progressed well in his handful of rehab starts in the minors. Suffice it to say, Bradford's return was successful, as he looked like he hadn't missed a turn in the rotation.

If this is the kind of effort Chris Young and Rangers fans can expect, along with the return of Jordan Montgomery, it could explain why the Rangers didn't do much of anything at the trade deadline. If Bradford is all the way back, he could serve as a valuable swingman that could elevate both the starting rotation and the bullpen. The same could be said of Montgomery

Bradford looked good in his first start since 2024, and could be a big reason why the Rangers were dormant at the trade deadline

Bradford hadn't pitched in the majors in close to two years when he was tabbed as the starter for the rubber match game against the San Francisco Giants. He settled in early, using an effective combination of change-ups with an 88-91 mph four-seam fastball. There were a few that got away from him, which is to be expected with nerves. He set the tone in what was an easy 6-0 Ranger win.

In all, Bradford went 4.1 innings and didn't allow a run on 70 pitches. He gave up 5 hits, but managed to work around the traffic in what was a very encouraging return. Bradford got ahead in the count, throwing first-pitch strikes to 16 of 20 hitters faced. With 19 called strikes and 9 whiffs, he was able to keep the Giants off balance most of the afternoon, handing a 4-0 lead over to Tyler Alexander.

If Bradford can return to the form he had established in 2024, it could be the reason that the organization didn't go out and get another starter. It has been well-documented that the Rangers, even after the acquisition of Chase Silseth, needed more right-handed bullpen help and should pursue someone like Luke Weaver or Huascar Brazoban. Still, we wouldn't put it past Skip Schumacher to use one (or possibly two) of the trio of Bradford, Montgomery, and Jack Leiter as a long reliever, thereby buttressing the relief corps from within the organization.

It would make a lot of sense if all three can successfully return from injury and be effective, that you would take one of your surplus starters and move him into a Jacob Latz-like role before he became the closer. The bullpen is clearly the weakest link on this club, and getting a guy that could go multiple innings between the 4th and 8th innings could be a huge boon for the Rangers.

Add in the fact that Corey Seager came back right before the deadline and could be considered an addition if he can stay healthy and get his bat back up to his normal lofty standards, and it becomes clear that Young didn't want to further thin out his shallow farm system when he had so many guys working their ways back into action and possibly having a positive impact on the team's playoff chances.

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