Rain Halts One Rangers Injury Rehab Start While Another Shines in Latest Outing

Only one of the Rangers’ two left-handed pitchers rehabbing from elbow injuries was able to pitch on Friday night.

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Cody Bradford. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

ARLINGTON — Another week, another set of scheduled rehab starts for Texas Rangers pitchers Jordan Montgomery and Cody Bradford.

The pair were on the field again on Friday, with Bradford setting up shop in San Antonio while Montgomery was in Albuquerque.

Some of them are ready to move on from rehab and get back to the Rangers, something that manager Skip Schumaker understands.

“I’m sure a lot of rehabbers don’t really want to be down there too much longer,” he said before Friday’s game with Seattle. “We’re just trying to get these guys right. I think it would be unfair to him or to us if you know they’re not right and ready to go in a situation where you’re trying to win every single game.”

Both Montgomery and Bradford are coming back from elbow surgery, with Montgomery’s the more invasive Tommy John surgery.

Tracking Rangers Rehabbing Pitchers

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Jordan Montgomery. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Bradford went through his paces with Double-A Frisco against the San Antonio Missions. Montgomery was with the Triple-A Round Rock Express in Albuquerque, but his start was delayed by weather.

Bradford was making his fourth rehab start and entering the game he had pitched five innings, giving up four hits, three earned runs and two home runs on 85 pitches. He struck out five, walked two and batters were hitting .222 against him.

The lefty had perhaps his crispest outing yet. He went three innings for the RoughRiders, giving up three hits but no runs. He struck out four and walked nine. He threw 48 pitches, 39 of which were strikes. He likely needs another game or two to build up to a starter’s workload.

Montgomery is likely itching to return. He was on rehab start No. 7 on Friday, as he had pitched in six games and thrown 217 pitches in 14.2 innings. He was 0-1 with a 5.52 ERA with 13 strikeouts and no walks as batters were hitting .328 against him. Much of that damage came in his last rehab game, which went 2.2 innings and saw him give up seven hits and six earned runs.

But he didn’t get the chance to throw. The game in Albuquerque was rained out and is being rescheduled. It’s not clear if Montgomery will pitch this weekend. It may depend on whether Montgomery warmed up before the game was delayed.

The Express are in Albuquerque through the weekend and return to Round Rock next week for another six-game series.