Archie N. Bradley (born August 10, 1992) is an American
professional baseball
Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in baseball league, leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world.
Mod ...
pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw ...
who is a free agent. He has played in
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
(MLB) for the
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks (colloquially known as the D-backs) are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The f ...
,
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...
,
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...
and
Los Angeles Angels
The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. Since 1966, the team ha ...
.
Born and raised in
Muskogee, Oklahoma
Muskogee () is the thirteenth-largest city in Oklahoma and the county seat of Muskogee County. Home to Bacone College, it lies approximately southeast of Tulsa. The population of the city was 36,878 as of the 2020 census, a 6.0 percent decrease ...
, Bradley played baseball and football at
Muskogee High School
Muskogee High School (MHS) is a three-year public high school in Muskogee, Oklahoma, U.S.. It is accredited by the Oklahoma State Department of Education and the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association.
Muskogee High School is part o ...
and
Broken Arrow Senior High School
Broken Arrow Senior High School is the highest level of secondary education in the Broken Arrow Public Schools system, for students in tenth through twelfth grade. Combined with the Broken Arrow Freshman Academy, it is the largest high school in ...
. In his senior season, he pitched Broken Arrow to a state championship, and was named All-State Player of the Year by ''
The Oklahoman
''The Oklahoman'' is the largest daily newspaper in Oklahoma, United States, and is the only regional daily that covers the Greater Oklahoma City area. The Alliance for Audited Media (formerly Audit Bureau Circulation) lists it as the 59th larges ...
''. The Diamondbacks selected Bradley out of high school seventh overall in the
2011 MLB Draft
The 2011 Major League Baseball draft was held from June 6 through June 8, 2011, from Studio 42 of the MLB Network in Secaucus, New Jersey. The Pittsburgh Pirates selected Gerrit Cole out of the University of California, Los Angeles, with the first ...
, and he began his first full professional season with the
Class A South Bend Silver Hawks
South is one of the cardinal directions or compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both east and west.
Etymology
The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Proto-Germanic ''*sunþaz' ...
. Bradley continued to rise through the Diamondbacks'
farm system
In sports, a farm team, farm system, feeder team, feeder club, or nursery club is generally a team or club whose role is to provide experience and training for young players, with an agreement that any successful players can move on to a higher ...
in 2013 and 2014, but general manager
Kevin Towers
Kevin Scott Towers (November 11, 1961 – January 30, 2018) was an American executive in Major League Baseball. He served as the general manager of the San Diego Padres from 1995 to 2009 and for the Arizona Diamondbacks from 2010 to 2014.
Early ...
resisted a push from Bradley's agent to send the pitcher to the MLB early, arguing that it would be too much pressure on the young pitcher to ask him to help the Diamondbacks' starting rotation.
After a 2015 debut in which he outpitched reigning
Cy Young Award
The Cy Young Award is given annually to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball (MLB), one each for the American League (AL) and National League (NL). The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall ...
champion
Clayton Kershaw
Clayton Edward Kershaw (born March 19, 1988) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB) . He has played for the Dodgers for the entirety of his MLB career. A left-handed starting p ...
, Bradley's first major league season was derailed by injuries: first a sinus fracture from being hit with a
line drive
In the sports of baseball and softball, a batted ball is a pitch that has been contacted by the batter's bat. Batted balls are either fair or foul, and can be characterized as a fly ball, pop-up, line drive, or ground ball. In baseball, a fou ...
, followed by shoulder
tendinitis
Tendinopathy, a type of tendon disorder that results in pain, swelling, and impaired function. The pain is typically worse with movement. It most commonly occurs around the shoulder (rotator cuff tendinitis, biceps tendinitis), elbow (tennis elb ...
. He worked back through the minors on rehab assignments and returned to the starting rotation in 2016. The following season, amidst a strong group of starting pitchers, the Diamondbacks moved Bradley to the bullpen. He served as the
setup man
In baseball, a setup man (or set-up man, also sometimes referred to as a setup pitcher or setup reliever) is a relief pitcher who regularly pitches before the closer. They commonly pitch the eighth inning, with the closer pitching the ninth.
As ...
until mid-2019, when he became the team's
closer.
At the 2020 trade deadline, Bradley was traded to the
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...
in exchange for
Josh VanMeter
Joshua Michael VanMeter (born March 10, 1995) is an American professional baseball left fielder and infielder in the Milwaukee Brewers organization. He previously played in MLB for the Cincinnati Reds, Arizona Diamondbacks and Pittsburgh Pirat ...
and
Stuart Fairchild
Stuart Alexander Fairchild (born March 17, 1996) is a Taiwanese-American professional baseball outfielder for the Cincinnati Reds of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played college baseball at Wake Forest University. Fairchild was drafted by the ...
. He was one of four Reds players released into
free agency
In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...
at the conclusion of the season, and signed a one-year, $6 million contract with the Phillies in 2021. Despite rumors that he would take over from
Héctor Neris
Héctor Neris (born June 14, 1989) is a Dominican professional baseball pitcher for the Houston Astros of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Philadelphia Phillies. He was signed as a free agent by the Phillies in ...
as the Phillies' closer, Bradley was assigned to the setup position to start the season.
Early life
Bradley was born on August 10, 1992 in
Muskogee, Oklahoma
Muskogee () is the thirteenth-largest city in Oklahoma and the county seat of Muskogee County. Home to Bacone College, it lies approximately southeast of Tulsa. The population of the city was 36,878 as of the 2020 census, a 6.0 percent decrease ...
.
One of five children born to Charles and Pam Bradley, he began playing baseball at the age of four, and started playing
in elementary school. He was a hyperactive child, and his mother, the local school principal, would place him in classes with teachers that she believed could handle his excess energy.
After spending two years at
Muskogee High School
Muskogee High School (MHS) is a three-year public high school in Muskogee, Oklahoma, U.S.. It is accredited by the Oklahoma State Department of Education and the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association.
Muskogee High School is part o ...
, Bradley transferred to
Broken Arrow Senior High School
Broken Arrow Senior High School is the highest level of secondary education in the Broken Arrow Public Schools system, for students in tenth through twelfth grade. Combined with the Broken Arrow Freshman Academy, it is the largest high school in ...
for his junior and senior year. In his senior season, Bradley had a 12–1
win–loss record
In sports, a winning percentage is the fraction of games or matches a team or individual has won. The statistic is commonly used in standings or rankings to compare teams or individuals. It is defined as wins divided by the total number of match ...
, an
earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the average of earned runs allowed by a pitcher per nine innings pitched (i.e. the traditional length of a game). It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number ...
(ERA) of 0.29, a
strikeouts per nine innings pitched
In baseball statistics, strikeouts per nine innings pitched (K/9, SO/9, or SO/9IP) is the mean of strikeouts (or Ks) by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by multiplying the number of strikeouts by nine, and dividing by the numb ...
(K/9) ratio of 17.29, and 137
strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout (or strike-out) occurs when a batter accumulates three strikes during a time at bat. It usually means that the batter is out. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters, and is deno ...
s. He also led Broken Arrow in home runs, and had a .395
batting average
Batting average is a statistic in cricket, baseball, and softball that measures the performance of batters. The development of the baseball statistic was influenced by the cricket statistic.
Cricket
In cricket, a player's batting average is ...
. Bradley helped lead Broken Arrow to a 36–1 record in 2011, and struck out 14 batters in Broken Arrow's 4–0
shutout
In team sports, a shutout ( US) or clean sheet ( UK) is a game in which one team prevents the other from scoring any points. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball.
Shutouts are usuall ...
state championship victory over
Owasso High School
Owasso High School is a high school located within Tulsa County in Owasso, Oklahoma, United States. It is among the largest high schools in Oklahoma by enrollment with nearly 3,000 students.
The school is known for being involved in the ''Owasso ...
. At the end of the year, Bradley was named ''
The Oklahoman
''The Oklahoman'' is the largest daily newspaper in Oklahoma, United States, and is the only regional daily that covers the Greater Oklahoma City area. The Alliance for Audited Media (formerly Audit Bureau Circulation) lists it as the 59th larges ...
''
's All-State Player of the Year. Along with baseball, Bradley excelled in football, participating in the 2010
Elite 11
The Elite 11 is a quarterback competition for high school quarterbacks across the United States. Elite 11 was founded in 1999 by Andy Bark and continues to be run by his company, Student Sports Inc, hosted at the Nike World Headquarters in Beaver ...
quarterback competition.
At this competition, Bradley was voted "Most Likely to be a Pro Athlete" by CFB counselors.
Professional career
Draft and minor leagues
![Archie Bradley, Reno Aces 5, Fresno Grizzlies 3, Greater Nevada Field, Reno, Nevada (cropped)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/56/Archie_Bradley%2C_Reno_Aces_5%2C_Fresno_Grizzlies_3%2C_Greater_Nevada_Field%2C_Reno%2C_Nevada_%28cropped%29.jpg)
The
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks (colloquially known as the D-backs) are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The f ...
of
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
(MLB) selected Bradley seventh overall in the
2011 MLB Draft
The 2011 Major League Baseball draft was held from June 6 through June 8, 2011, from Studio 42 of the MLB Network in Secaucus, New Jersey. The Pittsburgh Pirates selected Gerrit Cole out of the University of California, Los Angeles, with the first ...
. His friend and Owasso pitching rival
Dylan Bundy
Dylan Matthew Bundy (born November 15, 1992) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB)for the Baltimore Orioles, Los Angeles Angels and Minnesota Twins.
The Orioles selected Bu ...
was selected by the
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. As one of the American L ...
fourth overall, making 2011 the first year that two Oklahoma high school students were drafted in the first round since 1973. At the time, Bradley had already committed to play baseball and football at the
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma (OU) is a Public university, public research university in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it had existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two Territories became the state of Oklahom ...
, and waited until the August 16 deadline to officially sign a $5 million, five-year contract with the Diamondbacks. Bradley spent the remainder of the 2011 season with the
Missoula PaddleHeads
The Missoula PaddleHeads are an independent baseball team of the Pioneer League, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball (MLB) but is an MLB Partner League. They are located in Missoula, Montana, and play their home games at Ogren Par ...
of the
Pioneer League, at that time the
Rookie Advanced minor-league affiliate of the Diamondbacks. He appeared in two games for Missoula, including one start, and pitched four strikeouts against seven batters. Additionally, he pitched "about 15 innings" in the
Arizona Instructional League
The Arizona Instructional League (AIL), sometimes known informally as "instructs", is an American professional baseball league. The league was founded in 1958. Young major league prospects hone their skills in the AIL, while experienced players ma ...
.
Bradley started the 2012 season with the
Class A South Bend Silver Hawks
South is one of the cardinal directions or compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both east and west.
Etymology
The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Proto-Germanic ''*sunþaz' ...
, taking the loss in his professional debut on April 6 after giving up one run in five innings of work to the
Bowling Green Hot Rods
The Bowling Green Hot Rods are a Minor League Baseball team of the South Atlantic League and the High-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays. They are located in Bowling Green, Kentucky, and play their home games at Bowling Green Ballpark, which open ...
. His first win came on April 12, giving up one run in six innings of a 3–1 victory over the
Fort Wayne TinCaps
The Fort Wayne TinCaps are a Minor League Baseball team of the Midwest League and the High-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres. They are located in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and play their home games at Parkview Field. They won their lone Midwest Le ...
. Bradley spent the entire season at South Bend, accumulating a 12–6 record and a 3.84 ERA in 27 starts and 136 innings of work.
His 152 season strikeouts were second in the
Midwest League
The Midwest League is a Minor League Baseball league established in 1947 and based in the Midwestern United States. A Class A league for most of its history, the league was promoted to High-A as part of Major League Baseball's 2021 reorganizat ...
, but he led the league in walks with 82.
Starting 2013 with the
Class A-Advanced
High-A (officially Class High-A, formerly known as Class A-Advanced, and sometimes abbreviated "A+" in writing) is the third-highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States and Canada, below Triple-A and Double-A, and abov ...
Visalia Rawhide
The Visalia Rawhide are a Minor League Baseball team of the California League and the Single-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks. They are located in Visalia, California, and have played their home games at Valley Strong Ballpark since their ...
, Bradley was named the
California League
The California League is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in California. Having been classified at various levels throughout its existence, it operated at Class A-Advanced from 1990 until its demotion to Single-A following Major Leag ...
Player of the Week for the week ending April 14, after striking out nine in
shutout
In team sports, a shutout ( US) or clean sheet ( UK) is a game in which one team prevents the other from scoring any points. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball.
Shutouts are usuall ...
innings against the
San Jose Giants
The San Jose Giants are a Minor League Baseball team of the California League and the Single-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants. Located in San Jose, California, the Giants play their home games at Excite Ballpark.
Games
San Jose Giants ga ...
. He was promoted to the
Double-A Mobile BayBears
The Mobile BayBears were a Minor League Baseball team based in Mobile, Alabama, United States. The team, which played in the Southern League, served as the Double-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres (1997–2006), Arizona Diamondbacks (2007–2 ...
on May 1, after only five starts with Visalia, and took the win the following day in a 3–1 victory over the
Huntsville Stars
The Huntsville Stars were a Minor League Baseball team that played in Huntsville, Alabama, from 1985 to 2014. They competed in the Southern League as the Double-A affiliate of Major League Baseball's Oakland Athletics from 1985 to 1998 and Mil ...
. Bradley pitched in all six innings of the game, which ended early due to inclement weather. He was named the
Southern League Pitcher of the Week for the week ending August 4 after pitching the first nine-inning
complete game
In baseball, a complete game (CG) is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher. A pitcher who meets this criterion will be credited with a complete game regardless of the number of innings played—pitche ...
of his career in a 5–1 rout of the
Jackson Generals
The Jackson Generals were a professional baseball team located in Jackson, Tennessee. From 1998 to 2020, they were a part of Minor League Baseball's Southern League (1964–2020), Southern League (SL) as the Double-A (baseball), Double-A affiliat ...
. The following week, he pitched the final inning in a
combined no-hitter
In baseball, a no-hitter is a game in which a team was not able to record a hit. Major League Baseball (MLB) officially defines a no-hitter as a completed game in which a team that batted in at least nine innings recorded no hits. A pitcher wh ...
against Huntsville. Between Visalia and Mobile, Bradley finished the 2013 season with a 14–5 record, a 1.84 ERA, and 162 strikeouts in 152 innings.
After attending
spring training
Spring training is the preseason in Major League Baseball (MLB), a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for Schedule (workplace), roster and position spo ...
with the Diamondbacks, Bradley was assigned to the
Triple-A Reno Aces
The Reno Aces are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks. They are located in Reno, Nevada, and play their home games at Greater Nevada Field, which opened in 2009. ...
at the beginning of the 2014 season. His agent pushed for Bradley to be called up to the majors, arguing that Bradley was only being kept in the minor leagues to allow the Diamondbacks to retain his original contract for a longer period of time. Diamondbacks general manager
Kevin Towers
Kevin Scott Towers (November 11, 1961 – January 30, 2018) was an American executive in Major League Baseball. He served as the general manager of the San Diego Padres from 1995 to 2009 and for the Arizona Diamondbacks from 2010 to 2014.
Early ...
said that promoting Bradley would put unnecessary pressure on the pitcher, as the team had the worst ERA in the MLB, and Towers told Fox Sports that, "I know how it would be perceived if he came up: 'Archie is going to save us.'" Bradley missed nearly two months of the 2014 season after sustaining an elbow injury in late April. He began making rehab assignments at the end of June, with a 75-pitch limit. In only 18 season appearances and 83 innings, Bradley posted a 3–7 record, a 4.45 ERA, and 75 strikeouts in 2014.
Arizona Diamondbacks (2015–2020)
2015–2016
After
Trevor Cahill
Trevor John Cahill (born March 1, 1988) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is currently a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Oakland Athletics, Arizona Diamondbacks, Atlanta Braves, Chicago Cubs, Sa ...
was traded to the
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. The Braves ...
, Diamondbacks chief baseball officer
Tony La Russa
Anthony La Russa Jr. (; born October 4, 1944) is an American former professional baseball player, coach, and manager. His MLB career has spanned from 1963 to 2022, in several roles. He is the former manager of the St. Louis Cardinals, Oakland At ...
announced that Bradley would be in the team's 2015 starting rotation. He made his MLB debut on April 11, 2015, allowing only one hit in the Diamondbacks' 6–0 shutout of the
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...
. He outpitched
Clayton Kershaw
Clayton Edward Kershaw (born March 19, 1988) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB) . He has played for the Dodgers for the entirety of his MLB career. A left-handed starting p ...
, becoming only the fourth rookie starter since 2003 to win against a reigning
Cy Young Award
The Cy Young Award is given annually to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball (MLB), one each for the American League (AL) and National League (NL). The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall ...
winner in his major league debut. On April 28, Bradley suffered a sinus fracture when he was hit in the face by a
line drive
In the sports of baseball and softball, a batted ball is a pitch that has been contacted by the batter's bat. Batted balls are either fair or foul, and can be characterized as a fly ball, pop-up, line drive, or ground ball. In baseball, a fou ...
off the bat of
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are an American professional baseball team based in Denver. The Rockies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The team plays its home baseball games at Coors Fie ...
outfielder
Carlos González, and he was placed on the 15-day
disabled list
In Major League Baseball (MLB), the injured list (IL) is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players. Before the 2019 season, it was known as the disabled list (DL).
General guidelines
...
the next day. Bradley struggled in his return to the mound, allowing four runs in less than three innings in his first start after the injury. He was placed on the disabled list again on June 4 with
tendinitis
Tendinopathy, a type of tendon disorder that results in pain, swelling, and impaired function. The pain is typically worse with movement. It most commonly occurs around the shoulder (rotator cuff tendinitis, biceps tendinitis), elbow (tennis elb ...
in his shoulder, and began rehab assignments in mid-August. Bradley pitched innings in eight games for the Diamondbacks in 2015, and posted a 2–3 record with a 5.80 ERA.
Amidst heavy competition for the fifth spot in the
starting rotation
R
rabbit ears
:Indicates a participant in the game who hears things perhaps too well for their own good. A player who becomes nervous or chokes when opposing players or fans yell at or razz them is said to have rabbit ears. Also, an umpire ...
, Bradley began the 2016 season in Reno. After recording a 1.99 ERA and 10.4 strikeouts per nine innings there, he was called back up on May 29 to replace an injured
Shelby Miller
Shelby Charles Miller (born October 10, 1990) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the St. Louis Cardinals, Atlanta Braves, Arizona Diamondba ...
, and set a career-high with nine strikeouts in innings in a 6–3 win against the
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1969, the club has won two NL penna ...
. His performance that season was inconsistent, posting a 5.02 ERA and retaining the high walk rate that troubled him the previous season.
His largest issues were in finding a usable third pitch to round out his fastball and curveball, and a high batting average against left-handed hitters. In 26 starts for Arizona that season, Bradley posted an 8–9 record, with 143 strikeouts but 79 earned runs allowed.
2017–2018
In 2017, the Diamondbacks had an unusually strong starting rotation, including
Zack Greinke
Donald Zackary Greinke ( ; born October 21, 1983) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is currently a free agent. He made his MLB debut with the Kansas City Royals in 2004 and has also played in MLB for the Milwaukee Brewers, Los An ...
,
Patrick Corbin
Patrick Alan Corbin (born July 19, 1989) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Washington Nationals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played for the Arizona Diamondbacks. He won the 2019 World Series with the Nation ...
, and
Robbie Ray
Robert Glenn Ray (born October 1, 1991) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played for the Detroit Tigers, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Toronto Blue Jays. Ray was an ML ...
, and, rather than sending Bradley back down to the minor leagues, the team moved him to the bullpen. In his first appearance in his new role, Bradley relieved
Randall Delgado
Randall Enrique Delgado (born February 9, 1990) is a Panamanian professional baseball pitcher who is currently a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves and Arizona Diamondbacks.
Professional career
Atlant ...
in the fifth inning of a game against the
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco, California. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1883 as the New Yor ...
, striking out seven batters in shutout innings. He chose to remain in the bullpen even after
Shelby Miller
Shelby Charles Miller (born October 10, 1990) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the St. Louis Cardinals, Atlanta Braves, Arizona Diamondba ...
was optioned to the minor leagues, and began serving as the Diamondbacks'
setup man
In baseball, a setup man (or set-up man, also sometimes referred to as a setup pitcher or setup reliever) is a relief pitcher who regularly pitches before the closer. They commonly pitch the eighth inning, with the closer pitching the ninth.
As ...
.
In the
2017 National League Wild Card Game, Bradley hit a two-RBI triple against
Pat Neshek
Patrick John Neshek (pronounced NEE-shehk; born September 4, 1980), is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Minnesota Twins, San Diego Padres, Oakland Athletics, St. Louis Cardinals, ...
of the
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are an American professional baseball team based in Denver. The Rockies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The team plays its home baseball games at Coors Fie ...
, helping Arizona advance to the
2017 National League Division Series
The 2017 National League Division Series were two best-of-five-game series to determine the participating teams of the 2017 National League Championship Series. The three divisional winners (seeded 1–3) and a fourth team—the winner of a one ...
. It was Bradley's first extra-base hit in his major league career and the first postseason triple by a reliever in MLB history. In his first season as a reliever, Bradley posted a 3–3 record and a 1.73 ERA in 73 innings.
Going into the 2018 season, Diamondbacks general manager
Mike Hazen
Michael Norman Hazen (born January 7, 1976) is an American professional baseball executive and current executive vice president and general manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks of Major League Baseball (MLB). A Princeton University graduate and fo ...
said that, while Bradley's role in the pitching lineup had not been formally addressed, it was likely that he would remain a reliever. Nearer to the start of the season, Bradley was considered for the role of
closer, in contention with
Brad Boxberger
Bradley George Boxberger (born May 27, 1988) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the San Diego Padres, Tampa Bay Rays, Arizona Diamondbacks, Kansas ...
and
Yoshihisa Hirano
is a Japanese composer and arranger. He is best known for composing the scores for anime series, such as ''Death Note'', '' Hunter × Hunter (2011)'', and ''Edens Zero''. He has also made the orchestration for video games, mostly in the Final ...
. Manager
Torey Lovullo
Salvatore Anthony "Torey" Lovullo ( ; born July 25, 1965) is an American professional baseball manager for the Arizona Diamondbacks of Major League Baseball (MLB), appointed November 4, 2016.
Lovullo served as the first base coach for the Toron ...
said that, while Bradley "was exceptional last year in the role he was in ... the other thought is he's ready to take the next step". His season took a turn on July 20, when he gave up six runs to the
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are an American professional baseball team based in Denver. The Rockies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The team plays its home baseball games at Coors Fie ...
, including a grand slam off the bat of
Raimel Tapia
Raimel Antonio Tapia Linarez (born February 4, 1994) is a Dominican professional baseball outfielder who is a free agent. Tapia made his MLB debut in 2016 with the Colorado Rockies and has also played in MLB for the Toronto Blue Jays.
Career Co ...
. Entering the game, Bradley had given up only 10 earned runs in innings of work. His difficulties throughout the remainder of the season were later attributed to a cracked fingernail on his right index finger, which made it difficult for him to grip his signature curveball and forced him to rely more on his fastball. The Diamondbacks' bullpen collapsed in September, with Bradley,
Jake Diekman,
Matt Andriese
Matthew Lee Andriese (; born August 28, 1989) is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization. He previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Tampa Bay Rays, Arizona Diamondbacks, Los Angeles Ange ...
, and
Andrew Chafin
Andrew Gregory Chafin (born June 17, 1990), nicknamed "Big Country" and "The Sheriff", is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Chicago Cubs ...
all allowing at least as many runs as innings pitched. Bradley ended up going 4–5 for the season, with a 3.64 ERA, three saves, and 75 strikeouts in innings.
2019–2020
His troubles continued into the beginning of the 2019 season, in which it took ten appearances before Bradley recorded a clean eighth inning for the Diamondbacks. His poor performance began to lead to speculation that he would be removed from his role as setup man. The following year, Bradley revealed to Arizona Sports 98.7 FM that, after giving up 32 hits, 16 walks, and 20 earned runs in May and June, Lovullo and Hazen called him in for a meeting and discussed how to return him to form without demoting him to the minors. His performance improved after the meeting, and after
Greg Holland
Gregory Scott Holland (born November 20, 1985) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Kansas City Royals, Colorado Rockies, St. Louis Cardinals, Washington N ...
was
designated for assignment
Designated for assignment (DFA) is a contractual term used in Major League Baseball (MLB). A player who is designated for assignment is immediately removed from the team's 40-man roster, after which the team must within seven days, return the pla ...
that August, Bradley stepped up to close for the Diamondbacks. He posted a 4–5 record and 18 saves in 2019, with a 3.52 ERA and 87 strikeouts in 66 appearances, including 32 games finished.
During the 2020 offseason, Bradley underwent contract arbitration, arguing for a $4.1 million salary rather than the $3.625 million that the Diamondbacks had offered him. The arbitration committee ruled in favor of Bradley on February 21, making him the first largely non-closing reliever to make more than $4 million with fewer than 30 career saves. On July 18, after a delay in the MLB season due to the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
, Bradley was named the Diamondbacks' closer for the
2020 season. He made only 16 appearances for the club that season, going 2–0 with a 2.95 ERA.
Cincinnati Reds (2020)
On August 31, 2020, at the MLB trade deadline, the Diamondbacks traded Bradley to the
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...
in exchange for
utility player
In sports, a utility player is one who can play several positions competently. Sports in which the term is often used include association football, American football, baseball, rugby union, rugby league, softball, ice hockey, and water polo.
The ...
Josh VanMeter and outfielder
Stuart Fairchild
Stuart Alexander Fairchild (born March 17, 1996) is a Taiwanese-American professional baseball outfielder for the Cincinnati Reds of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played college baseball at Wake Forest University. Fairchild was drafted by the ...
. He made his team debut on September 1, pitching shutout innings in a 16–2 loss to the
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals hav ...
less than three hours after his plane arrived in Cincinnati. In the postseason, Bradley took the loss in the first game of the
2020 National League Wild Card Series
The 2020 National League Wild Card Series were four best-of-three-games series in Major League Baseball (MLB) to determine participating teams in the 2020 National League Division Series. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, MLB expanded the postsea ...
, giving up two hits in the 13th inning against the
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. The Braves ...
. On December 2, Bradley was released from his contract alongside catcher
Curt Casali
Curtis Michael Casali (born November 9, 1988), is an American professional baseball catcher for the Cincinnati Reds of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played college baseball at Vanderbilt University, and was selected in the 10th round of the 201 ...
, outfielder
Brian Goodwin
Brian Carey Goodwin (25 March 1931 – 15 July 2009) (St Anne de Bellevue, Quebec, Canada - Torbay, Devon, UK) was a Canadian mathematician and biologist, a Professor Emeritus at the Open University and a founder of theoretical biology and bio ...
, and pitcher
R. J. Alaniz. He recorded a 1.17 ERA in innings with the Reds.
Philadelphia Phillies (2021)
On January 18, 2021, the
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...
announced that they had signed Bradley to a one-year, $6 million contract in an attempt to bolster their bullpen. That same day, he
tweeted
Twitter is an online social media and social networking service owned and operated by American company Twitter, Inc., on which users post and interact with 280-character-long messages known as "tweets". Registered users can post, like, and ...
"#SignJT", a reference to the ongoing calls to the Phillies administration to re-sign free agent catcher
J. T. Realmuto
Jacob Tyler Realmuto ( ; born March 18, 1991) is an American professional baseball catcher for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball (MLB). Between 2014 and 2018, he played in MLB for the Miami Marlins.
Realmuto was born in Del Ci ...
. It was projected, during the Phillies' 2021 "bullpen battle", that Bradley might take over the closer role from veteran
Héctor Neris
Héctor Neris (born June 14, 1989) is a Dominican professional baseball pitcher for the Houston Astros of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Philadelphia Phillies. He was signed as a free agent by the Phillies in ...
. On March 31, however, manager
Joe Girardi
Joseph Elliott Girardi (born October 14, 1964) is an American former professional baseball player and manager in Major League Baseball (MLB). Girardi played the catcher position for the Chicago Cubs, Colorado Rockies, New York Yankees, and St. ...
said that Neris would maintain the ninth-inning position, with Bradley and
José Alvarado serving as
setup men
In baseball, a setup man (or set-up man, also sometimes referred to as a setup pitcher or setup reliever) is a relief pitcher who regularly pitches before the closer. They commonly pitch the eighth inning, with the closer pitching the ninth.
As ...
.
Bradley was placed on the injured list on April 11 with an
oblique strain
The abdominal external oblique muscle (also external oblique muscle, or exterior oblique) is the largest and outermost of the three flat Abdomen#Muscles, abdominal muscles of the lateral anterior abdomen.
Structure
The external oblique is situat ...
, and was expected to miss three to four weeks. In his absence,
Connor Brogdon
Connor Michael Brogdon (born January 29, 1995) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball (MLB).
Brogdon was born in Clovis, California, and attended Liberty High School in Madera. Alth ...
was asked to take over Bradley's role, while
JoJo Romero
Joseph Abel Romero (born September 9, 1996), is an American professional baseball pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for the Philadelphia Phillies from 2020 to 2022.
Early life
Romero was born on Septe ...
was called up to the majors. Bradley returned on May 18 for a game against the
Miami Marlins
The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The club's home ballpark is LoanDepot Park.
The franc ...
, striking out the only batter he faced and taking the win. He became a free agent at the end of the season.
Los Angeles Angels (2022–present)
On March 18, 2022, Bradley signed a 1-year, $3.75 million contract with the
Los Angeles Angels
The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. Since 1966, the team ha ...
.
On June 26, Bradley broke his elbow during a brawl in a game against the
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West division. The team joined the American League ...
, sidelining him for at least one month.
Pitcher profile
Bradley is a
power pitcher
Power pitcher is a term in baseball for a pitcher who relies on pitch velocity at the expense of accuracy. Power pitchers usually record a high number of strikeouts, and statistics such as strikeouts per 9 innings pitched are common measures of ...
who was praised for a successful transition from the starting rotation to the bullpen, working in both the eighth and ninth inning since 2017. The primary concern around his pitching in his first two MLB seasons was a high walk rate, something that he managed to cut in half in 2017, during his first season as a reliever. Bradley told ''
The Ringer'' in 2018 that the biggest change he made since becoming a reliever was "just being aggressive—I'm trying to get ahead of guys and not walk guys."
For the early part of his career, Bradley largely possessed a two-pitch repertoire consisting of a
fastball
The fastball is the most common type of pitch thrown by pitchers in baseball and softball. "Power pitchers," such as former American major leaguers Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, rely on speed to prevent the ball from being hit, and have thro ...
and a
curveball
In baseball and softball, the curveball is a type of pitch thrown with a characteristic grip and hand movement that imparts forward spin to the ball, causing it to dive as it approaches the plate. Varieties of curveball include the 12–6 curve ...
. He pitched a
cutter in the minor leagues, and began reintegrating it into his repertoire in 2017 after an unexplained pause. The following year, Bradley also began experimenting with a
slider
Slider or Sliders may refer to:
Arts
* K.K. Slider, a fictional character within the ''Animal Crossing'' franchise
* ''The Slider'', a 1972 album by T. Rex
* Sliders (TV series), ''Sliders'' (TV series), an American science fiction and fantasy t ...
and a
changeup
A changeup is a type of pitch in baseball and fastpitch softball.
The changeup is a staple off-speed pitch often used in a pitcher's arsenal, usually thrown to look like a fastball but arriving much more slowly to the plate. Its reduced speed ...
to aid him in the bullpen. During the 2020 season, Bradley primarily threw three pitches. His fastball made up 67 percent of his total pitches, while a curveball was thrown 22 percent of the time, and a changeup was thrown the other 11 percent.
Personal life
After being reassigned to the bullpen in 2017, Bradley began to grow a distinct beard, leading to jokes about the necessity of facial hair on a reliever. That season, the Diamondbacks began selling T-shirts with Bradley's face and the phrase "Bring in the Beard". Bradley told reporters that, growing up, he preferred to remain clean-shaven because he did not like how bright his beard appeared, but that he let it grow out after
Movember
Movember is an annual event involving the growing of moustaches during the month of November to raise awareness of men's health issues, such as prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and men's suicide. It is a portmanteau of the Australian-Engli ...
and through spring training.
After noticing an improvement in his pitching, Bradley decided to keep the beard, saying, "I don't believe in special powers but it's kind of funny that as soon as I grew a beard I seemed to pitch better". He clarified that he believed most of the improvement was due to the shorter inning workload placed on a reliever, but that, "Just in case the palm reader was correct, I won't shave my beard until I retire".
Bradley took up
waterfowl hunting
Waterfowl hunting (also called wildfowling or waterfowl shooting in the UK) is the practice of hunting ducks, geese, or other waterfowl for food and sport.
Many types of ducks and geese share the same habitat, have overlapping or identical hunt ...
early in his baseball career, and continues to hunt in his free time. In 2017, Bradley purchased a ranch in
Pawnee, Oklahoma
Pawnee (Pawnee: Paári, iow, Páñi Chína) is a city and county seat of Pawnee County, Oklahoma, United States. The town is northeast of Stillwater at the junction of U.S. Route 64 and State Highway 18.
It was named for the Pawnee tribe, wh ...
, about away from the Spring Valley Rod and Gun Club. Bradley and his high school baseball teammate, Mak Monckton, connected with the gun club owner and started Crash Landing Outdoors, a hunting guide company. The name derives from Bradley's
Labrador retriever, Crash.
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bradley, Archie
1992 births
Living people
Baseball players from Oklahoma
Sportspeople from Muskogee, Oklahoma
People from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
Major League Baseball pitchers
Arizona Diamondbacks players
Cincinnati Reds players
Philadelphia Phillies players
Los Angeles Angels players
Missoula Osprey players
South Bend Silver Hawks players
Visalia Rawhide players
Mobile BayBears players
Reno Aces players
Arizona League Diamondbacks players