Twins' Taj Bradley: Fans seven in no-decision Wednesday
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Bradley didn't factor into the decision in Wednesday's 6-4 win over Atlanta, allowing one run on two hits and three walks over five innings. He struck out seven.
A sixth-inning meltdown by Kody Funderburk cost Bradley his 10th win of the season and first since the All-Star break, but the right-hander still put together a strong outing as he tossed 56 of 88 pitches for strikes. Bradley's been erratic in the unofficial second half, and over seven starts and 38 innings he's managed a 4.74 ERA, 1.45 WHIP and 40:22 K:BB to go along with his 0-2 record. He'll look to get back in the win column in his next trip to the mound, which is scheduled to come on the road early next week against the A's.
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Twins' Taj Bradley: Stumbles against Phillies
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Bradley (9-5) took the loss Thursday against the Phillies, allowing five runs on seven hits and four walks while striking out three over four innings.
Bradley struggled to navigate Philadelphia's left-handed-heavy lineup from the outset, needing 32 pitches to escape the first inning. Kyle Schwarber did much of the damage, launching a pair of homers off Bradley, including a leadoff shot to begin the game. The right-hander departed with Minnesota trailing 5-1 after matching his shortest outing of the season. Bradley entered Thursday with a 3.76 ERA and had been one of the Twins' more reliable arms as they battle for a wild-card spot. He'll look to rebound in his next scheduled start at home against Atlanta.
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Twins' Taj Bradley: Fans seven in no-decision
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Bradley took a no-decision against the Brewers on Saturday, allowing three runs on five hits and two walks in five innings. He struck out seven.
Bradley had some strong swing-and-miss stuff going, inducing 13 whiffs on top of his seven punchouts, but it wasn't enough to help him log what would've been his fourth straight quality start. The right-hander continues to be a reliable rotation piece for the Twins, working at least five innings in 11 consecutive outings. Bradley will take a career-best 3.76 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 148:55 K:BB over 131.2 innings into his next scheduled appearance against Philadelphia.
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Twins' Taj Bradley: Punches out 10 in no-decision
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Bradley did not factor into the decision Tuesday, striking out 10 and giving up two runs on three hits and three walks across six innings during a 3-2 victory over the Royals.
The right-hander was one out away from taking the loss, but Royce Lewis instead walked off Kansas City with a two-run triple in the ninth inning. Bradley surrendered five runs against the Cubs during his first start coming out of the All-Star break, but he's been dominant in his past two outings with just three runs allowed on six hits with a 15:6 K:BB over 13 frames. Through 21 starts this year, the 25-year-old has already recorded a career-high nine wins with a 3.65 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 139:49 K:BB in 120.2 innings.
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Twins' Taj Bradley: Excellent in no-decision
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Bradley did not factor into the decision Thursday against the Guardians, allowing one run on two hits and three walks over seven innings. He struck out five.
Bradley was excellent Thursday, with the lone blemish against him coming on a Patrick Bailey solo homer in the fifth inning. It's the fourth time that Bradley has gone seven innings while allowing two runs or fewer in his last six starts -- he's posted a 2.84 ERA in that span (38 innings). Overall, his ERA sits at 3.69 through 20 starts (114.2 innings) this season with a 1.22 WHIP and 129:46 K:BB. Bradley currently lines up to face the Royals at home his next time out.
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Twins' Taj Bradley: Tough day at Wrigley
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Bradley (9-4) took the loss Saturday, surrendering five runs on seven hits and three walks over five innings as the Twins fell 6-2 to the Cubs. He struck out six.
A Michael Busch solo shot in the first inning set the tone, as Bradley wound up allowing runs in each of the first three frames to put Minnesota in a hole it couldn't escape. The right-hander saw a three-start win streak snapped as he got tagged with his first loss since June 9, and it was the first time since June 14 that he's given up more than two runs. Bradley will take a 3.85 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 124:43 K:BB over 107.2 innings into his next outing, which is scheduled to come on the road next week in Cleveland.
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Twins' Taj Bradley: Notches double-digit Ks again
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Bradley (8-3) earned the win over Cleveland on Tuesday, allowing one run on three hits and no walks with 10 strikeouts over seven innings.
Bradley surrendered a solo homer to Rhys Hoskins in the second inning, but that was the only time the Guardians were able to get in the scoring column. The right-hander was absolutely dominant with a massive 25 swinging strikes en route to 10 punchouts. Bradley has registered double-digit strikeouts three times this season, including in both of his past two starts. He had a rough stretch from late May through mid-June, posting a 7.78 ERA across four starts, but he's since turned things around with three wins, a 2.25 ERA and 32:8 K:BB across 24 innings spanning his past four outings. Bradley's next start will likely be after the All-Star break in Chicago against the Cubs.
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Twins' Taj Bradley: Pitches into seventh inning
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Bradley allowed four runs on five hits and a walk while striking out seven over 6.2 innings in a no-decision versus the Cardinals on Sunday.
Bradley rebounded fairly well after three straight starts in which he failed to complete five frames. He still gave up four runs, with a pair of homers accounting for three of those runs on his line Sunday. Bradley has taken a step back after starting the season in great form, but this effort could help him turn things around a bit. He's at a 4.14 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and 80:30 K:BB over 71.2 innings across 13 starts this season. His next start is tentatively scheduled to be on the road in Arizona.
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Twins' Taj Bradley: Stumbles against ChiSox
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Bradley (5-2) took the loss Wednesday, giving up four runs on seven hits and five walks over 4.2 innings as the Twins fell 8-0 to the White Sox. He struck out five.
The right-hander managed to get 63 of his 104 pitches into the strike zone, but Bradley's five free passes tied his career-worst mark, which he set as a rookie with the Rays in September 2023. Since coming off the IL on May 23, Bradley has stumbled to a 5.93 ERA, 1.76 WHIP and 18:13 K:BB over 13.2 innings, suggesting he may not be 100 percent recovered from the pectoral issue. Prior to the injury, he had a 2.87 ERA and 1.19 WHIP through his first eight starts of the campaign.
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Twins' Taj Bradley: Escapes Pittsburgh with no-decision
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Bradley didn't factor into the decision Friday as the Twins were downed 6-5 by the Pirates, giving up four runs on five hits and two walks over four innings. He struck out six.
The Bucs ambushed Bradley for three runs in the bottom of the first inning, including a solo shot by Oneil Cruz, but the right-hander was able to hang around long enough to give the Twins 87 pitches (51 strikes) before getting the hook. Bradley has issued multiple free passes in seven straight starts dating back to April 12, posting a 4.12 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 43:17 K:BB in 39.1 innings during that span. He'll look to bounce back in his next outing, which is scheduled to come at home next week against the Royals.
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Twins' Taj Bradley: Could rejoin rotation Saturday
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Bradley (pectoral) could rejoin the Twins' rotation as soon as Saturday in Boston, Matthew Leach of MLB.com reports.
Coming back from right pectoral inflammation, Bradley threw around 65 pitches Sunday between a rehab start and a post-start bullpen session. He threw off the mound again Wednesday, and if he recovers well he might slot back into the rotation Saturday. Bradley was excellent before getting hurt, holding a 2.87 ERA and 52:17 K:BB over 47 innings covering eight starts. If Bradley does start Saturday, he would be somewhat limited from a workload perspective.
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Twins' Taj Bradley: Headed to injured list
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The Twins placed Bradley on the 15-day injured list Saturday with right pectoral inflammation, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.
Bradley allowed two earned runs while making it through six innings during his last outing against the Nationals on Tuesday, but he appears to have come away from his appearance with a pectoral injury. He'll be eligible to return from the IL ahead of the Twins' series opener against Boston on May 22, though it remains unknown whether the right-hander will be ready by then. Travis Adams was recalled from Triple-A St. Paul to provide extra bullpen depth, but another move will likely be required before Bradley's spot in the rotation comes up Sunday.
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Twins' Taj Bradley: Grabs fourth win Tuesday
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Bradley (4-1) earned the win Tuesday against the Nationals, allowing two runs on four hits and two walks while striking out eight over six innings.
Bradley had to battle early, needing 51 pitches just to get through the first two innings, but he settled in nicely afterward and dominated for long stretches. He retired 11 straight batters before Daylen Lile broke the run with a two-out double in the fifth inning. Bradley continues to provide reliable production, now allowing two or fewer runs in seven of his eight starts this season. The right-hander owns a 2.87 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 52:17 K:BB across 47 innings and is slated to face Cleveland in his next outing.
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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 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 righty was also efficient enough to reach the six-inning mark, tossing 65 of 100 pitches for strikes. Coming off a season in which he posted a 5.05 ERA, 1.31 WHIP and 127 strikeouts over 142.2 innings, Bradley is off to a red-hot start to 2026 and continues to justify Minnesota's decision to acquire him from Tampa Bay at last year's trade deadline.
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Twins' Taj Bradley: Strikes out nine over 4.1 innings
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Bradley allowed one run on three hits and three walks across 4.1 innings in Saturday's 4-1 win over the Orioles. He struck out nine.
Bradley won a spot in the Twins' rotation during spring training and continued racking up the strikeouts against Baltimore. His fastball remained up compared to 2025, as he averaged 97.4 mph in Saturday's outing compared to 96.2 mph from a season ago. However, walks remain an issue, contributing to Bradley being unable to get deep enough into the game to pick up the win. Bradley's next start should line up for Friday's home opener against his former team, the Rays.
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Twins' Taj Bradley: Likely rotation candidate
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Bradley has a good chance of winning a rotation spot for the Twins, Matthew Leach of MLB.com surmises.
Bradley might have had an inside track at winning a job battle even before Pablo Lopez's elbow injury, but with three starting spots now open, the likelihood is even higher. Bradley is pitching in the World Baseball Classic, so some of his reps will be away from manager Derek Shelton's direct observations.
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Twins' Taj Bradley: Fans nine in six impressive frames
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Bradley didn't factor into the decision Wednesday against the Rangers, allowing one run on two hits and two walks in six innings. He struck out nine.
In what was his final scheduled appearance of the season, Bradley saved his best start since joining Minnesota for last. The nine strikeouts were his most since he fanned 10 during his June 1 outing in Houston as a member of the Rays, and Wednesday was the first time since July 18 that the right-hander fired at least six innings while conceding one run or zero. Bradley still struggled as a whole since landing with the Twins, turning in a 6.61 ERA, 1.40 WHIP and 32:12 K:BB across 31.1 innings, so he may have to fight for a rotation spot next spring.
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Twins' Taj Bradley: Rebounds with one-hit effort
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Bradley didn't factor into the decision against the Padres on Saturday, allowing one run on one hit and three walks while striking out six over five innings.
Bradley's second start with the Twins went remarkably better than his first, when he was tagged for seven earned runs in a loss to the White Sox. On Saturday, the right-hander allowed just one hit, a solo homer to Elias Diaz in the fifth, while striking out six. The effort served as an encouraging rebound and showed the potential swing-and-miss stuff Minnesota hoped to add when acquiring him at the trade deadline. Bradley will carry a 4.28 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and 102:48 K:BB into his next scheduled start against the Royals, a favorable matchup given Kansas City's struggles against right-handers.
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Twins' Taj Bradley: Set to start Saturday
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Bradley will start Saturday's game against the Padres in Minnesota, Bobby Nightengale of The Minnesota Star Tribune reports.
Minnesota called up both Mick Abel and Taj Bradley from Triple-A St. Paul last week to make starts, but only Bradley will make a second turn through the rotation, as Abel was moved to the bullpen after the Twins got another starter in Simeon Woods Richardson back from the injured list earlier this week. Bradley struggled mightily in his Twins debut this past Sunday, surrendering seven earned runs on nine hits and one walk over five innings. Even with an improved showing against the Padres, Bradley may not be guaranteed any additional starts with the Twins. Pablo Lopez (shoulder) appears on track to return from the 60-day injured list and rejoin the big-league rotation next week, which could result in Bradley being bumped to the bullpen or sent back to Triple-A.
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Twins' Taj Bradley: Called up to start Sunday
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The Twins recalled Bradley from Triple-A St. Paul ahead of his scheduled start Sunday against the White Sox in Chicago.
Bradley will be making his Twins debut Sunday, three and a half weeks after he was acquired from the Rays. The 24-year-old righty has made three starts for St. Paul, turning in a bloated 7.53 ERA and 1.63 WHIP but a more promising 18:2 K:BB in 14.1 innings. Bradley has shown the ability to make bats miss at a prolific clip over parts of three seasons in the majors, though he took a big step back in that regard during his time with the Rays in 2025, with his strikeout rate dropping to a career-low 20.2 percent in 21 big-league starts.
