Injured Rangers Left-Handers Go in Different Directions in Rehab Starts

Part of the calculus for the Texas Rangers when it comes to the trade deadline is the progress of two injured left-handed pitchers that can help the pitching staff.

Jordan Montgomery and Cody Bradford have not pitched in a Major League game this season. Montgomery hasn’t pitched in an MLB game since 2024. He missed all of 2025 after Tommy John surgery and is working through his build-up to return.

Bradford didn’t not pitch last season either. He was slowed by an elbow injury that eventually required surgery, but not to the extent of Montgomery. But the Rangers missed him last season as he emerged as an effective option in their 2024 rotation.

Both are working through injury rehab assignments and their games lined up on Saturday, with Montgomery at Triple-A Round Rock and Bradford at Double-A Frisco.

Montgomery is ahead of Bradford, but it was the latter that had the better night.

How Jordan Montgomery and Cody Bradford did on Saturday

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Jordan Montgomery throws a baseball to a hitter in a game. — Texas Rangers starting pitcher Jordan Montgomery. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Bradford made his second rehab start and his second with Frisco. After going just one inning in his last start on July 12, he threw two innings on Saturday and was incredibly effective. He gave up one hit and struck out four hitters. He threw 37 pitches, 27 of which were strikes. This was an improvement over his first start, where he gave up a run and two walks and struck out one, but didn’t give up a hit.

He’s not yet at the point where the level of performance matters. He’s still working through control, mechanics and stretching out. But Montgomery is now in that area of his rehab where that matters, and Saturday’s game could be seen as a step back.

Montgomery had five rehab starts before Saturday’s game. In his last start on July 12 he graduated to four innings, giving up four hits and one run as he struck out one and walked none. He got up to 52 pitches. Another four-inning outing, perhaps five innings, was a possibility.

Montgomery didn’t get out of the third inning for the Express. He gave up seven hits, six earned runs and struck out two as he threw 53 pitches, 33 of which were strikes. He didn’t push his pitch count any higher than his last starts. More concerning is this was the first outing in which he gave up more than five hits and two runs.

The trade deadline is Aug. 3. It’s likely the pair can get two more starts before the Rangers finalize their trade moves. Montgomery should be closer to the Majors than Bradford by that point. But how close they’ll be is up for debate.

That’s something president of baseball operations Chris Young and his staff will debate as the deadline approaches. How close the pair are will determine part of what happens at the deadline.

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