Twins' Taj Bradley: Shines in scoreless outing

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Bradley (1-0) earned the win Thursday against the Royals, allowing five hits and one walk while striking out three over six scoreless innings.

Bradley worked through a few early threats but managed to keep Kansas City off the board, showcasing his ability to pitch out of trouble. The right-hander's biggest moment came in the third inning, when he rebounded from a dropped foul popup by striking out Bobby Witt Jr. with a 100 mph fastball -- the hardest pitch thrown by a Twins starter in the pitch-tracking era -- to escape the jam. The 25-year-old also limited free passes, issuing just one walk, which helped him stay efficient and reach the six-inning mark. Coming off of a season where he posted a 5.05 ERA, 1.31 WHIP and 127 strikeouts over 142.2 innings, Bradley is off to a red hot start in 2026 and continues to justify Minnesota's decision to acquire him at last year's trade deadline.