Cody Bradford Brings Seattle a Contact Problem

Cody Bradford’s problem on Wednesday isn’t simply his 4.45 ERA. Since returning from elbow surgery, the left-hander has struggled to miss bats, and his latest start ended with five runs scoring on home runs. Against Seattle, the immediate question is whether Bradford can keep contact harmless long enough to reach the middle innings.

The matchup across from him makes that question more important. Rookie Kade Anderson has also struggled to finish hitters in the majors, leaving both bullpens exposed to an early entrance. Anderson admitted after his latest start that his inability to put hitters away fell below his own standard.

Bookmaker Sportsbook‘s opening line sets Seattle at -160 and Texas at +141, with Over 7.5 at -115 and Under 7.5 at +102. Seattle is -1.5 at +135.

The pick is Over 7.5 (-115).

Five Runs Exposed Cody Bradford’s Problem

Bradford returned from internal-brace elbow surgery on August 5, and the Rangers have been trying to recover the pitcher who established himself as a credible starter before losing all of 2025.

His latest setback is relevant because of how the damage arrived. Bradford surrendered five runs via home runs and afterward acknowledged continuing command problems following surgery. His reduced ability to generate swings and misses leaves less protection when location drifts into dangerous areas.

Seattle does not need to dominate him for nine innings to push this total upward. It needs enough hard contact early to prevent Cody Bradford from giving Texas length.

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Anderson Keeps Meeting the Fifth

Seattle’s side of the total carries a remarkably similar vulnerability. Anderson’s minor-league numbers were spectacular: 135 strikeouts against 13 walks with a 1.06 ERA over 93⅓ Double-A innings before his promotion. The majors have presented a different problem.

Against the Athletics last Thursday, Anderson allowed four runs and seven hits in five innings. The decisive trouble arrived as the lineup turned over for a third time. Afterward, Anderson specifically identified walks and his inability to finish hitters as areas he needed to clean up.

That makes Texas’ third trip through the order potentially decisive Wednesday. Anderson has not yet established that Seattle can comfortably ask him for six or seven innings, and his first three major-league starts were managed around roughly 80 pitches.

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Brash Is Missing From Anderson’s Exit

Anderson’s workload would matter less behind a dependable relief unit. Seattle has instead been trying to limit bullpen exposure, while Matt Brash’s season-ending lat problem has removed one of its best potential late-inning arms. That makes every inning Anderson cannot provide more expensive.

Texas has its own rotation shortage with Nathan Eovaldi and Jack Leiter on the injured list, although Robert Garcia’s recent activation has restored one option to Bruce Bochy’s bullpen.

The total therefore hinges on the same question from opposite dugouts: which starter can stop contact before the game reaches the bullpens?

At 7.5, neither necessarily has to collapse. Bradford’s current command and swing-and-miss issues give Seattle chances to do early damage. At the same time, Anderson’s short major-league leash creates a realistic path for Texas to spend several innings against Seattle relief.

Betting lean: Over 7.5 (-115). Bradford rediscovering his pre-surgery command is the primary risk. Until he shows it, pairing his contact vulnerability with Anderson’s still-developing ability to turn a lineup over makes eight runs a reachable threshold.

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