BALTIMORE – The Texas Rangers tried to rehab Cody Bradford’s elbow and avoid surgery.
Almost got there, too.
On Tuesday, about the time Bradford should have been getting ready to start a rehab assignment, the Rangers announced that he’d had a significant setback in his left elbow recovery and will require season-ending surgery.
Bradford will undergo a procedure Wednesday with Rangers team physician Dr. Keith Meister operating.
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President of Baseball Operations Chris Young said it is still to be determined if Bradford will require full elbow reconstruction surgery or the less invasive “internal brace.” It makes a significant difference in rehab times. The general time frame for internal brace surgery could be 8-12 months; for reconstruction, it’s usually more like 12-15 months.
“It’s a tough blow for us,” Young said, “but, more importantly, really tough for Cody. He’s a great person who has worked really hard to get back.
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“As often happens, he passed the early stages of the rehab, but closer to game action, torque and stress ramps up. When he got to that level, it didn’t go well.”
Bradford, 27, had been diagnosed with an elbow sprain in late March, but seemed to be making steady progress. He was on the verge of beginning a rehab assignment, the last step before being activated when he fell ill last week.
It postponed the rehab. Ultimately, when he returned to throw a bullpen, he felt renewed pain in the elbow and an exam determined that it was now in need of a surgical intervention.
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Young said that Bradford’s injury will not change the Rangers’ approach to the coming weeks leading up to the trade deadline. The approach to the trade deadline, he indicated, would be “more related to performance of the team,” than health.
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The Rangers still have Jon Gray rehabbing from a fractured wrist. Young said Gray would be built up as a starter on rehab rather than shortening him into a relief role. He added that regardless of need, it’s easier to rehab a starter as a starter, in terms of arm build-up, and, if the need is more pressing for a reliever, he could be shortened down at the major league level.
Tyler Mahle, who is out with what has been diagnosed as shoulder fatigue, is scheduled to undergo a follow up MRI in the coming days.
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