In 2023, Kyle Bradish was a standout starter for the Orioles and continued to dominate early in 2024 until a UCL injury sidelined him. He underwent Tommy John surgery in June, causing him to miss the entire second half of the season. Throughout the offseason, the expectation has remained that Bradish will make his return to the mound in the latter part of 2025.
Bradish has been steadily progressing through his rehab and throwing program, having been in Sarasota since before spring training began. According to manager Brandon Hyde, the right-hander has encountered no setbacks and is “checking all the boxes” in his recovery.
Bradish later revealed that he had been pitching through elbow discomfort in late 2023 and the early months of 2024. However, he has no regrets about delaying surgery. He explained, “I think that if I would have gotten the surgery in January, there kind of would have been a little regret and questioning if maybe I didn’t have to get surgery.”
Orioles’ righty Kyle Bradish pitched through injury in 2023 and 2024 before going down with a UCL tear
In 2023, Bradish recorded a 12-7 record with a 2.83 ERA across 30 starts, earning him a fourth-place finish in AL Cy Young voting in just his second major league season. His performance becomes even more impressive in hindsight, knowing that he was already dealing with the early stages of the injury that ultimately sidelined him in 2024.
Bradish’s 2024 season began with an elbow injury that placed him on the injured list for the first few weeks. He returned to make eight starts for the Orioles before being shut down for the rest of the season in June. During those outings, he posted a 2.75 ERA and recorded two wins.
Bradish’s return is highly anticipated by Orioles fans, as he is expected to provide a crucial boost during the final stretch of the regular season. With the AL East race shaping up to be highly competitive, strong starting pitching will be essential for Baltimore to push past their rivals and reclaim the division title.
Orioles GM Mike Elias provided an update on Bradish’s recovery, stating, “It’s definitely the second half. That’s my expectation at this point.” Elias appears confident in Bradish’s return in 2025, and barring any setbacks, Bradish shares that optimism. The key to his success upon rejoining the major league club will be recapturing the form he displayed in 2023 and early 2024.
