ARLINGTON -- In the Bible, James 1:2-3 says: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.”
It’s a verse that has been echoing in the mind of Rangers southpaw Cody Bradford for the last two weeks. Bradford underwent an internal brace surgery on June 25 after spending months rehabbing elbow soreness that sidelined him back in Spring Training.
While it was positive news that he didn’t need the full Tommy John surgery, it could be a frustrating process for Bradford. Despite that, he rejoined the team when they returned to Arlington with a brighter attitude than anybody would expect of him.
“I think I have the choice of how to go about this,” Bradford said. “I can choose to be kind of frustrated and beat up about it, or I can choose to see it as an opportunity for growth. I had somebody else ask me that question the other day, and it was actually a Bible verse that came to mind.
“I think about trials in life, right? It's an option for us to either consider it pure joy, or we can consider it something else. And at this time, like this is just a test of physicality and to spirituality get through it and see it as an opportunity for growth. I’m excited for the future.”
Bradford was arguably the Rangers’ best starting pitcher in 2024 when he was healthy, though he was sidelined for months with nagging back and rib injuries. The southpaw had a 1.40 ERA when he first landed on the injured list on April 14, 2024. He finished the season with a 3.54 ERA in 76 1/3 innings.
His Spring Training injury stopped a season that could’ve solidified him as a quality big league starter before it even began.
But Bradford was back in the clubhouse the day after surgery. He’s been in every pitchers meeting, every team huddle, every bullpen. It was important for him to continue being present, even if he can’t contribute on the field.
“The example set before me was with deGrom in 2023,” Bradford said. “When I was coming out of the bullpen, I was down there every day, and so was Jacob deGrom. He was fresh off surgery. He didn't have to be there in a sling. I remember asking one day, like, ‘What are you doing here? You don't have to be here. You’ve got a family. He's got kids.’
“He's had all the excuses in the world to not be present. And he just said he wants to be here to support his teammates. That left a big impact on me. Even though, again, I can't help the team on the field, I still want to support these guys.”
The next step for Bradford is just rest, recovery and rehab in hopes of being ready for next season. The internal brace typically requires a shorter recovery than the full Tommy John, potentially putting Bradford back around this time in 2026.
“It's not anybody’s dream to spend more time on the IL than on an active roster, right?” he said. “But I’m trying to see this as an opportunity for growth. A lot of guys come back from Tommy John at an incredible rate. An internal brace, the rate might be the same or better. A lot of guys come back stronger. This is a time for me to just get to serve the team in a different way. So if I can't serve the team on the field, then I'll do everything I can in the locker room and off the field to be a good teammate and be a good friend, to support these guys.”