Archie Bradley discusses meeting that turned around his 2019 with D-backs
Feb 21, 2020, 6:36 AM | Updated: Feb 24, 2020, 10:14 am
(AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
(AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Archie Bradley’s tenure with the Arizona Diamondbacks has had more ups and downs than most careers and the lowest low as a reliever was in the first half of the 2019 season.
Over May and June, Bradley gave up 32 hits, 16 walks and 20 earned runs over 26 innings. He was nearly giving up two baserunners an inning.
The debate started to emerge within the fanbase of what Arizona should do with Bradley. Try to trade him? Send him to the minors? Designate him for assignment?
Bradley opened up to 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station about how that run went behind the scenes and his thought process during it.
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“I was the last option out of the bullpen at one point last year,” he said to Burns & Gambo.
“I was thinking about [if they’d send me to Triple-A]. Any player who plays bad for that stretch of time, especially in the role I’m in, there’s not a lot of options.”
While the possibility lingered, Bradley never landed on actually thinking he’d be sent down.
“It was a thought. To say I actually thought it was going to happen, no,” he said. “But I mean you give up two runs, then you give up two then you give up another one and you’re like, ‘God dang man, I stink.'”
Bradley had a meeting with that included manager Torey Lovullo and general manager Mike Hazen that he credits to turning around his season.
“They pulled me in and were straight up like, ‘Look it’s bad right now. No one can deny that but going to Triple-A is not the answer for you. When you’re right, you’re an A-plus top reliever in this game. So how do we get you back there?'”
In the last three months of the season after that putrid run, Bradley threw 33.2 innings and gave up only six earned runs.
That included a role to the closer’s position in late July that he rode to 18 saves.
Bradley is the presumed closer but no one is willing to confirm that being his role at this time.
“Is anything ever official?” Bradley said. “Until we start game one, I’m just going to be prepared to pitch in whatever role.”
