Bradford has surgery, expected to return in 2026

Texas Rangers pitcher Cody Bradford underwent successful internal brace surgery on his left elbow, the team announced today.

This is relatively good news, as when it was announced that Bradford would need elbow surgery, it was not known whether he would need internal brace surgery or Tommy John surgery. While TJS generally has a recovery period of around 14 months, internal brace surgery has a recovery period of 6 to 9 months. This puts Bradford on track to potentially be back in early 2026.

Bradford was expected to be part of the Rangers’ Opening Day rotation for 2026 after a 2025 season that saw him miss time with a rib fracture but pitch well when he was healthy. He was sidelined during…