Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
There is no doubt about it: Archie Bradley is the future of the Arizona Diamondbacks. For years, the organization has waited for him to make the jump to the big leagues, and finally he got the call this spring.
Bradley’s long-awaited MLB debut was a masterpiece. The 16th overall prospect tossed a gem against one of the best teams in baseball. Not only did he hold the Los Angeles Dodgers to just one hit, he struck out six. To further emphasize the dazzling performance, the 22-year-old Bradley out-dueled reigning CY Young winner Clayton Kershaw, arguably the best pitcher in baseball.
For an organization that desperately needs pitching, the rookie was brilliant. Despite walking four batters and tossing 112 pitches in six innings, Bradley honed in to give the team a strong performance and much-needed win as the other four starters in the struggled mightily to start the young season.
What’s most important about this start was that it was on the biggest stage. The Dodgers are the biggest rivals to Arizona, and Kershaw is a menace on the mound. It was refreshing to see a pitcher provide a quality outing instead of the usual collapse. Too often Arizona’s offense is forced to provide the spark and play from behind.
Bradley is definitely going to hit some rocky roads on the mound, but the future is bright and road is being paved for a successful rotation, something the Diamondbacks have lacked for years. What’s most exciting, though, is that Bradley is just the beginning.
