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Tampa Bay's move to send down their top pitching prospect, Taj Bradley after three starts left the fantasy community scratching their heads on Tuesday. This demotion couldn't have been performance-related as Bradley has looked the part.
How do we react as fantasy managers when faced with this dilemma? Should we look to capitalize off other managers if he was let go? The short answer is YES, you should be stashing Bradley if you can afford to wait on the 22-year-old righty’s return to the majors.
How does Bradley compare to other top pitching prospects who have already gotten the call to the majors? Let’s discuss.
Taj Bradley's Early Season Success
Bradley looked dominant in his first taste of the majors showcasing an explosive four-seam fastball that averages 96 mph. He also mixed in his cutter and curveball, in which both have returned over a 34% called strikes plus whiff percentage (CSW%).
Bradley has a 3-0 record, 3.52 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, and 23:2 K: BB through 15.1 IP. His 38.3% strikeout rate ranks in the top three percent in the league. He took advantage of his opportunity to prove that he’s major-league-ready and we can’t wait to see what he has in store for the remainder of the year.
Starting Rotation Blunders
Bradley’s debut came after Zach Eflin was sent to the injured list with back tightness. There soon after, Jeffrey Springs was diagnosed with needing Tommy John surgery and was set to miss the remainder of the year. This would’ve cleared the path for regular starts in the majors for Bradley but the Rays are a unique franchise.
Tampa Bay’s reasoning was career development related, wanting to get Bradley stretched out to pitch on a five-day schedule instead of six. Fantasy managers hope he can get on track after just two turns through the rotation in route back to the active roster. The team is rolling with three true starters for now as they wait for Tyler Glasnow to return from injury.
The Rays' winning percentage projects they can play it slow with Bradley but the upside of their starting rotation is very limited as it stands now. He carries the skills to help the big league club win now and he won’t be denied that for long. Bradley ranks as the number-one pitching stash in re-draft leagues as he possesses immense potential.
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