D-backs Hoping Bradley Hitting Late-Season Stride

The script has flipped in 2018 for Archie Bradley. The Arizona Diamondbacks reliever has been a little bit of everything for the D-backs this summer.

Coming off a dazzling 2017 when the former first-round pick sported a sparkling 1.73 earned run average in his 63 appearances out of the bullpen, Bradley was arguably the most important piece of a staff which helped Arizona get back to the post-season for the first time in five years.

While Bradley’s numbers entering Tuesday’s game against the Angels are certainly respectable (3.39 ERA with 59 strikeouts in 58.1 innings pitched) the consistency hasn’t been there.

“Everybody goes through slumps,” ESPN baseball insider Pedro Gomez said to Sports360AZ.com’s Brad Cesmat. “Paul Goldschmidt went through a massive slump earlier this season and obviously turned it around. You go with track records.”

The 6-foot-4, 225-pound hard-thrower could be turning the corner. Over his last four appearances he’s allowed just two hits and one run while striking out four in four innings pitched as the D-backs continue to lead the National League West coming into the final five weeks of the regular season.

“If Archie Bradley was 35, 36-years-old I’d say there’s no way that they can continue to entrust him in high-leverage situations,” Gomez explained. “But…as a manger…this is one of Torey Lovello’s biggest strengths is he knows how to push the right buttons at the right time.”

The D-backs are hoping Bradley finds his sweet spot and the post-season becomes even more a reality next month.

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Eric Sorenson

A Valley native, Eric has had a passion for the Arizona sports scene since an early age. He has covered some of the biggest events including Super Bowls, national championships and the NBA and MLB playoffs in his near 20 years in local media.