Jarren Duran (OF, BOS) - Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups For Week 5

April 17, 2023

Taj Bradley is a fantasy baseball waiver wire pickup for hitters heading into Week 3 (2023). Target Bradley as a free-agent pitcher on the waiver wire.

BALLER MOVE: Add in 10+ Team Leagues

ROSTERED IN: 28% of Leagues

ANALYSIS: With scorching hot Jeffrey Springs sidelined for the next month due to an arm issue, the Rays promoted top pitching prospect Taj Bradley to test out his capacity as a potential fifth starter.

While Springs recovers from his injury, Bradley could play a pivotal role in the rotation if Tampa decided to keep him at the major league level. He made just two starts in Triple-A Durham before an immediate promotion to make his big league debut against the Red Sox on April 12. He tossed five innings of the three-run ball while punching out eight batters.

The Rays got a small sample of Bradley's competence as a starter at the big league level, but an underwhelming 5.14 ERA through two starts at Triple-A doesn't exactly add up. That could be attributed to the mere seven innings that he's pitched so far, and if we factor in last year's elite caliber of play through 28 starts, the conversation gets a little more intriguing.

In 2022, the 22-year-old posted a 2.57 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, with a 26.5% punchout rate, and an eye-popping 6.2% walk rate between Double and Triple-A. He's clearly headed in the right direction in terms of his ability to navigate the strike zone, and it should have no problem translating at the big-league level. Not to mention, if we're getting analytical, it's hard to miss Bradley's 95th percentile in K rate and 92nd in xSLG when he made just one big league start this season.

Then again, Bradley's promotion could've been a "getting his feet wet" moment, but with Spring and inning-eater Zach Eflin expected to miss some time, the California native could be in line for a second promotion.

While the vast majority of fantasy managers are stashing the right-hander in dynasty leagues, and some even adding him in deeper leagues, Bradley is clearly equipped to face major league competition. He has enough fantasy upside to outperform middle-of-the-road starters such as Ranger Suarez or Bailey Falter, but the Rays seem hesitant to award him a rotation spot just yet.

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