My Two Cents: Strikeout Milestone Means Something to Taj Bradley, Thanks to Mom

TAMPA, Fla. — Mother's Day is still four weeks away, but for Tampa Bay pitcher Taj Bradley every day is Mother's Day.

Every. Single. Day.

Bradley, who turned 24 last month, is in his seconf full year as a starting pitcher with the Rays. There have been some ups and downs, but the ups are really good. He only allowed one run Friday night, pitching six solid innings to help Tampa Bay beat the Atlanta Braves at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa.

He had seven strikeouts, which pushed him to 304 for his young career. He's the 22nd Rays pitcher to reach that mark.

That in and of itself doesn't seem like a big deal, and maybe in the big picture of major-league baseball, it isn't.

But when you're that little kid dreaming of making it to the big leagues, every milestone matters. It's validation, not only of a job well done, but also of dreams coming true. That's certainly the case for Bradley and his mom, Ana Mosely, who's been right there by his side from the very beginning, and that will never change.

When Bradley got his third strikeout Friday night — he fanned Jarred Kelenic to end the first inning — he made sure the ball found his way to his locker. That was No. 300 for his career, at that milestone matters.

And that ball is going straight to his mom, just like all the others that matter.

As well it should. This mother/son bond is as strong as it gets.

"She's got all of them,'' a smiling Bradley said in front of his locker in the Rays' clubhouse after the game. "She got the first one, the 100, 200 and now 300. Look, all of that stuff matters. I'm here, and when you accomplish something like that, it matters. It's good to remember it all, and it's great to always share those with her.''

Bradley's first career strikeout came on April 12, 2023 against the Boston Red Sox at Tropicana Field. His mom was there — on her birthday, no less. What a day. She's got No. 100 (Sept. 3, 2023 at Cleveland), No. 200 (in a shutout win over Washington on June 30, 2024) and now No. 300 —‚with many more to come.

"He had really good stuff, even in that first inning where he struggled a little bit,'' Rays manager Kevin Cash said. "He got a big strikeout to end that (32-pitch) inning but then he really got in a groove the rest of the way. There's a lot to be encouraged about with Taj, and what he continues to do for us on the mound. For him to get through six (nnings) with right around 90 pitches, he was really efficient the rest of the way.''

Bradley is 2-0 now on the season. He was really good in his first start on March 30, beating Colorado by going six innings with seven strikeouts and no walks. He struggled a bit at Texas, giving up four first-inning runs, but that was it.

He's growing up, and understanding better how to handle the highs and lows

"I just starting attacking the strike zone more,'' Bradley said. "It just helps me simplify a few things, and I got us through six innings right at the 90 pitches or so I'd like to be at. We got through it, and our guys got some big hits. It was a fun game, man.''

The Rays are 6-7 now, and Bradley helped stopped a 1-5 skid on Friday. Hopefully that's something they can build off of the rest of the weekend.

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