VENICE, Fla. — Taj Bradley finally put his offseason efforts on display during his first spring training start Sunday at CoolToday Park, despite a rain delay that pushed back the game by an hour. The Minnesota Twins pitcher remained unfazed as he prepared for the start, spending extra time in the clubhouse and warming up on a stationary bike before taking the mound to face the Atlanta Braves’ regular lineup.
Bradley used the outing to showcase two new pitches he developed — a two-seamer and a revamped splitter — throwing three innings in an 8-1 Twins victory. He surrendered just one run, a home run to Drake Baldwin, while recording five strikeouts and maintaining good control throughout his appearance.
Refining a New Splitter and Adding a Two-Seamer
This spring start was a milestone for Bradley as he demonstrated progress with the splitter, a pitch he targeted for improvement after being sent back to Triple-A before the Twins acquired him last July. The right-hander worked extensively on the pitch during the offseason, even traveling to Dallas to collaborate with teammates including Twins prospect Marco Raya, who helped him find a consistent grip.
“I was tweaking and found a grip I could be consistent with, and that’s the one I just rode with all the way into spring training. And I threw a few good ones (Sunday),”
Bradley said.
“I got (Ozzie) Albies with one, (Ronald) Acuña, I got him to foul one off, so I think it was a good pitch. And I got the double-play ball to (Matt) Olson with one.”
In addition to the splitter, Bradley incorporated a two-seamer into his pitching mix, a strategy aimed at keeping hitters off balance and inducing softer contact against opposing batters.
“Just another pitch to throw in the mix and keep hitters off balance,”
he explained about the two-seamer.
Manager Derek Shelton Praises Bradley’s Composure and Execution
Bradley’s manager, Derek Shelton, lauded his pitcher’s poise and ability to recover from early difficulties during the outing.
“I thought he was really really good,”
Shelton said.
“First impression of him getting into any kind of trouble and then being able to dial it in and make pitches was really impressive.”
After giving up hits to the first two batters he faced, Bradley quickly escaped the inning without any further damage, reflecting a key focus area emphasized by Shelton.
Building Confidence in the Splitter After a Challenging Season
Last season, Bradley posted a 5.05 earned run average over 27 major league starts, a performance he aimed to improve by refining his pitching repertoire. His ongoing work with the splitter and new two-seamer is part of preparing for a stronger campaign with the Twins.
Bradley’s offseason routine was marked by extensive bullpen sessions, lengthened due to his upcoming participation in the World Baseball Classic representing Mexico. Born in the United States, Bradley is eligible to play for Mexico through his grandmother, connecting him to the national team.
Randy Arozarena, a former teammate from Tampa Bay, facilitated Bradley’s introduction to Mexico’s general manager last year, setting the stage for his inclusion in the squad.
Support from Twins Coaching Staff Helps Adapt to New Organization
Having joined the Twins organization in July through a trade for Griffin Jax, Bradley credited the team’s pitching coaches for helping simplify his approach and fostering improvement during his first offseason with Minnesota.
“We’ve got LaTroy here to be a little bit of the art, Pete’s the science … you’ve got Luis helping you with the little finer things like mechanics,”
Bradley said.
“(It’s) like a good mix of coaches and good mentors that you can throw all into one person and be a great pitcher from it.”
This coaching combination provided Bradley with support on both technical and artistic aspects of pitching, contributing to his developing confidence on the mound.
Significance and Outlook for Bradley’s Upcoming Season
Taj Bradley’s encouraging debut with fresh pitches signals potential growth as he prepares to compete for a spot in Minnesota’s starting rotation. His commitment to refining his splitter and integrating new pitches aims to increase his effectiveness against major league batters.
His extended spring start and upcoming role in the World Baseball Classic also reflect his readiness to face high-level competition and maintain stamina throughout the season. The Twins and their fans will be watching closely to see how Bradley’s offseason work influences his performance in 2025 and beyond.
