GameDay Preview: Rays Rookie Taj Bradley Excited About 2nd Career Start Tuesday vs. Reds
CINCINNATI — The Tampa Bay Rays figured they'd have to rely on rookie pitcher Taj Bradley as some point this season, but not this early.
With their starting rotation decimated by injuries — Tyler Glasnow (oblique) started the season on the injured list, and Zach Eflin (back) and Jeffrey Springs (elbow/arm) got hurt last week — Bradley been pressed into duty for a second time on Tuesday night against the Cincinnati Reds. The game starts at 6:40 p.m. ET.
Bradley made his MLB debut last Wednesday, and pitched well in a pressure-packed game — at least for April. The Rays — who scored eight runs for him in the first five innings — won 9-7 for their 12th straight game to start the season, tying a record for the longest winning streak in Rays history. He pitched five innings and allowed five hits and three runs, but struck out eight.
It was a good taste — and gave him plenty to digest — and now he's back for more after a quick there-and-back to Triple-A Durham. If it all goes well, the 22-year-old could very likely be here to stay.
“Just as long as I’m up here, I’m happy,” Bradley said Monday when he met with the media. “I dwelled on (my first start) for a little bit, a few days longer than I usually do, and then now, it’s like, on to the next. My stuff, I can compete up here at this level and pretty much just do whatever got me here and just capitalize on it to make it that much better,” he said.
Rays manager Kevin Cash liked what he saw in Bradley's debut, and would love to see more of the same on Tuesday night against the Reds.
"I'm excited for Taj. The expectation? I guess it's just go out and do what you did last time,'' Cash said prior to the game. "I don't know what to expect other than we want to see a guy come out and throw strikes and execute his pitches, give us a chance
"Hopefully we can do what we did early in the game and get him some runs.''
Springs was placed on the 15-day injured list Tuesday with a left elbow flexor strain, and Cash said there is still no timetable for what might happen. The Rays are fearing the worst, and Tommy John surgery — and a year-plus of recovery time — is still a worst-case scenario. ''He's still processing all the information he's got,'' Cash said. "We'll see. Obviously, he’s going on the IL with an elbow issue. I think in fairness to Jeff, he’s still processing the information that he’s gotten. I think we’re a day or two from him coming up with a decision on what is ideal for him and then a timetable from there.”
Eflin is progressing nicely and is expected to return to the rotation on Sunday in the final game of a three-game series with the Chicago White Sox at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg. He's 2-0 with a 3.27 ERA, and getting him back quickly is a blessing considering the other injuries.
The Rays are 14-3 on the season after losing 8-1 to the Reds in the series opener on Monday night. Josh Lowe homered in the ninth inning for their only run, which kept the Rays' home run streak alive. They have homered in all 17 games, three shy of the MLB record set by the Seattle Mariners in 2019.
The Rays lead all of baseball with 37 home runs. That's seven more than the Los Angeles Dodgers (30) and 11 more than the New York Yankees (26), who are second and third.
The Rays have lost five straight games to the Reds here at Great American Ballpark, and the streak dates back to 2014. Lefty Nick Lodolo is starting for the Reds.
Rays starting lineup
- Yandy Diaz 1B
- Wander Franco SS
- Isaac Paredes 3B
- Randy Arozarena LF
- Harold Ramirez DH
- Taylor Walls 2B
- Manuel Margot CF
- Francisco Mejia C
- Vidal Brujan RF
SP — Taj Bradley 1-0, 5.40 ERA
Reds starting lineup
- Jonathan India 2B
- TJ Friedl CF
- Jake Fraley RF
- Tyler Stephenson DH
- Wil Myers RF
- Kevin Newman SS
- Jason Vosler 1B
- Nick Senzel 3B
- Curt Casali C
SP — Nick Lodolo, 2-0, 2.12 ERA
