Taj Bradley strikes out 10 in 7 innings in Twins' win over Guardians The Minnesota Twins secured a critical three-game series opener against the Cleveland Guardians with a 3-1 victory on Tuesday, powered by a dominant performance from right-hander Taj Bradley. The 28-year-old pitcher delivered one of his best starts of the season, striking out 10 batters while walking none in seven innings. His ability to dominate hitters with a mix of high-velocity fastballs, a sharp splitter, and a devastating cutter highlighted his resurgence as a key contributor for the Twins. Bradley’s outing marked his second consecutive game with double-digit strikeouts, continuing a strong stretch that has seen him post a 1.89 ERA over his last three starts after a brief slump in June. Bradley’s dominance was evident from the start, as he consistently kept Guardians hitters off balance with his varied arsenal. The right-hander induced 25 swings and misses, tying for the fourth-highest total in a single game this season and marking the most by a Twins pitcher since Joe Ryan’s 24 whiffs on April 27, 2025. His cutter, which reached speeds of 92-94 mph, accounted for 17 of those strikeouts, the most by any pitcher using the pitch since Luis Garcia of the Astros recorded 17 whiffs on April 19, 2023. Bradley’s ability to keep hitters guessing with his fastball, splitter, and cutter was a major factor in his success. The game’s turning point came in the second inning when Rhys Hoskins hit a solo home run off Bradley, giving the Guardians an early lead. However, Bradley quickly settled in, working around a one-out single in the fourth and a leadoff double in the seventh to protect Minnesota’s slim advantage.#cleveland_guardians #minnesota_twins #taj_brandon #derek_shelton #steven_vogt
