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Taj Bradley Reflects on Breakout Year After Twins Beat Giants
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- Taj Bradley Reflects on Breakout Year After Twins Beat Giants
(Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images)
The Minnesota Twins have not had much to celebrate in the final weeks of a losing season, but right-hander Taj Bradley gave them something to feel good about on Tuesday.
Bradley struck out the first batter he faced for his 200th strikeout of the year, then held the San Francisco Giants to one run over six innings in a 3-2 win at Oracle Park.
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It was the type of start that tells a team what it has for next year, and Bradley sounded proud of what he built.
A Milestone Night in San Francisco
Bradley got his 200th strikeout when he struck out outfielder Drew Gilbert swinging to open the first inning.
The Giants scored in the second on a sacrifice bunt, but Bradley allowed just three hits, walked three and struck out six in his six innings.
Minnesota answered in the sixth, when shortstop Ryan Kreidler singled and right fielder Luke Keaschall tripled him home to tie the game at 1-1.
Third baseman Brooks Lee followed with a single that scored Keaschall and put the Twins ahead, and outfielder Walker Jenkins led off the seventh with his fourth home run of the season.
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San Francisco scored once in the ninth before reliever Jeff Hoffman struck out the final batter to earn his sixth save.
A Career Year Worth Building Around
Bradley is now 12-6 with a 3.73 ERA, 205 strikeouts and 178 1/3 innings across 31 starts, and every one of those numbers is a career best. His old high in strikeouts was 154 with Tampa Bay in 2024.
The Associated Press noted he became the ninth pitcher in the majors to reach 200 strikeouts this season, and he did it in his first full year after Minnesota traded right-hander Griffin Jax to the Rays for him in July 2025.
"I'm happy," Bradley said, via MLB.com's Matthew Leach .
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"I can look back and be content with everything I've done this year and even this last start. I'm happy about it."
Manager Derek Shelton called Bradley a workhorse after the game and said he will be a big part of what the Twins do going forward, and he is right about that.
Bradley is only 25, he missed just a short stretch in May with right pectoral inflammation, and he gave Minnesota the steady innings the rotation badly needed.
The Jax trade looks like a clear win now, and a front office that has struggled through a disappointing era needs more moves like it.
What Comes Next
The Twins are 74-84 and out of the playoff race, but the win evened the series with the Giants at a game apiece.
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Left-hander Connor Prielipp, who threw seven scoreless innings against the Angels last week, gets the ball in Wednesday afternoon's series finale.
After an off day Thursday, Minnesota closes the season with three games against the Texas Rangers at Target Field.
For Jenkins, the homer was another good sign after his breakthrough game against the Angels last week.
For Bradley, MLB.com called Tuesday almost certainly his final start of 2026, and if it was, he ends the year as one of the most reliable arms on the staff and a clear piece of the plan for 2027.
