Bradish starts Game 1 of ALDS (updated)

Kyle Bradish walked into the auxiliary clubhouse at Camden Yards early this afternoon, sat down behind a microphone and entered a new world.

Bradish is in the playoffs for the first time, and his role as ace of the Orioles’ pitching staff is confirmed with his Game 1 start Saturday against the Rangers in the American League Division Series.

The obvious is official.

“Just the way he threw the ball this season and the improvements he made over the course of the year, and the improvements he made from last year, he's just had so many good starts for us,” said manager Brandon Hyde, who also announced that Grayson Rodriguez pitches Sunday in Game 2.

“We love his stuff. I like his make-up. He's pitched in some meaningful games down the stretch and pitched extremely well. And we have a lot of confidence with him going into Game 1.”

Hyde told Bradish yesterday that he'd get the assignment after mentioning the possibility last weekend.

"It's an honor to start this first playoff game," Bradish said. "I want to say thanks to Hyde and everybody else. But I expect ... this is what I expect out of myself, so I'm just really looking forward to it."

Teammates praise him for his even-keel approach, and it won't be disrupted Saturday.

"I just try not to let one thing affect me too much," he said. "Kind of what I've been taught my whole career is take one pitch at a time, don't let the last one affect the next one. Just got to go out there, trust my stuff, my defense, and know we've been doing it all year, keep it rolling."

Bradish won 12 games and posted a 2.83 ERA in 30 starts that ranked fourth in the majors behind Blake Snell (2.25), Gerrit Cole (2.63) and Sonny Gray (2.79). The first two are Cy Young Award favorites in their respective leagues. The others should receive votes on the five-man ballots.

Bradish’s 1.04 WHIP tied George Kirby for third behind Cole (0.98) and Zach Eflin (1.02).

“He’s just got such great feel for his stuff, and no matter who’s catching him, Mac (James McCann) or Rutch (Adley Rutschman), it just feels like he’s on the same wavelength with them at all times,” said outfielder Austin Hays. “He throws every one of his pitches with 100 percent conviction in any count. And just him being able to command pitches when he needs to. He has a really good understanding of when to attack the zone and then when to go for the chase.

“I think just seeing him grow, and when to throw pitches out of the zone and when to throw pitches in the zone is something that’s made a big difference for him, especially in the second half of the season.”

"Just to see his learning curve," Rutschman said. "He's always had phenomenal stuff, but to see how his pitches are used most effectively and to kind of just build himself up and his identity as a pitcher. He's become confident in that and really confident in what he's becoming. So I think just to see his confidence day-in and day-out and his plan going into each game is fun to be a part of."

Bradish didn’t allow a run in his last three starts over 16 innings, with Hyde removing him after two in Sunday’s regular-season finale. He registered a 2.25 ERA in five July starts, a 2.12 ERA in five August starts, and a 2.06 ERA in six September games.

Call it a comeback or whatever you want after Bradish exited his first start on April 3, coincidentally against the Rangers in Arlington, after Jonah Heim’s liner slammed off his right foot in the second inning and forced him onto the injured list.

Nothing about that night told Bradish that he'd be on the mound for the opener.

"No, honestly, no," he said. "It's kind of just a dream to be able to start Game 1 in the playoffs, let alone to be in the playoffs. I think about that. It's come a long way."

Bradish returned on April 19 and shut out the Nationals for six innings in D.C., but allowed seven runs and eight hits in 2 1/3 against the Red Sox. He had a 6.14 ERA and 1.841 WHIP in four starts that month, and finished with a 3.32 ERA and 1.179 WHIP in the first half, compared to a 2.34 ERA and 0.909 WHIP in nearly the same amount of innings (84 versus 84 2/3) in the second.

“He’s an amazing guy, and for him to make the adjustments that he’s had is very impressive,” said outfielder Cedric Mullins. “Thinking back, he’s always had the stuff. Found a way to a lot of 3-2 counts and sometimes wasn’t able to put guys away, but I think he’s really developed as a ballplayer, as a pitcher, for sure. And guys like Gibby (Kyle Gibson) coming in, maybe able to teach him a couple things here and there about just how to continue to progress and intensify how he can get better, and he’s definitely done that.”

"I remember seeing his stuff in spring for really the first time and thought it was pretty electric," said second baseman Adam Frazier. "I wouldn't say it surprised me for him to be able to do what he's done. I think as the season's gone on he's learned how to navigate lineups and save a few pitches so he can go deeper in the game, and I think that's kind of where he's taken his next step and in the Cy Young conversation. But his stuff is electric and as he's grown as a pitcher, he's grown into that elite arm that everyone's seeing now."

Orioles executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias swung one of his best trades on Dec. 4, 2019, by sending Dylan Bundy to the Angels four for minor league pitchers – Bradish, Kyle Brnovich, Zach Peek and Isaac Mattson. Brnovich and Peek recovered from Tommy John surgery and resumed pitching this summer.

Bradish is the gem, and his growth has matched the reports on him.

Made possible by improved command, as he's shared on many occasions.

"Just knowing the pitcher I am," he said. "Get better every outing. And knowing what works for me."

The turning point for Bradish occurred in San Francisco on June 3, after he allowed three runs and seven hits in four innings in a 4-0 loss.

"I had a rough inning and then got taken out at the fourth, and kind of there had a mindset shift," he said. "Just knowing that I can't keep doing that. It's hurting the bullpen, hurting the team. Just going out there, working for a quality start every time was kind of the mindset after that."

A career jolt came a year earlier when Bradish became an established major league pitcher, his ERA 7.38 in 10 first-half starts and 3.28 in 13 after the break.

"I'd say last year was kind of the bigger step for me," he said. "My first 10 starts didn't go the way I wanted them to and ended up on the injured list for about a month. And then came back and the second half was kind of just the complete opposite of what the first half was. I think that gave me the confidence to go into the offseason, to know what I can do, and have that success and just keep working for that."

Bradish faced the Rangers a month after his injury and held them to one run in 6 2/3 innings at Camden Yards. He also had an Aug. 3, 2022 start against them on his resume, when he again allowed only one run in five innings in Arlington.

This year’s splits include Bradish’s 2.23 ERA, 0.952 WHIP and .199 average against in 13 home starts, compared to a 3.33 ERA, 1.120 WHIP and .227 average against in 17 road games.

Rookie Josh Jung went 2-for-3 with a walk against Bradish this season.

"Watched them on TV a lot," Bradish said. "Got really good players. Really good offense. It will be a fun series. Faced them a couple of times this year and last year, so I'm familiar with most of their guys. Really good offense."

The Rangers won both wild card games against the Rays to set up the ALDS matchup, which is a best-of-five format. A few bad outings and a team can be done - even if it posted the best record in the league.

"I think it's important to go out in any game and set the tone as the starting pitcher, especially at home, being the first guy," Bradish said. "So just going out there and set the tone and just let our guys know that we're here."

Players also view the playoffs as an opportunity to let the world see who they are, what they've accomplished. To "showcase our talents," Bradish said.

"There's a lot of talk that our pitching staff, particularly the starting pitchers haven't been the strong suit to the team," he said, "so I think it's another opportunity to show what we are actually capable of."

In front of a packed house. Crowds that haven't watched playoff baseball in Baltimore in nine years.

"It's going to be a blast having 45,000-plus, Camden Yards filled up. It's going to be really exciting," Bradish said.

"It's the same game that I've been playing. I've played in big stadiums that are full and loud. Just have to embrace it. All these people are here to watch us and have fun, so why not do the same thing?"