ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS

Tony La Russa: There’s ‘no justice’ in Archie Bradley’s struggles

Jun 5, 2015, 3:27 PM | Updated: 3:27 pm

...

LISTEN: Tony La Russa, Diamondbacks Chief Baseball Officer

For the first three starts of his career, Archie Bradley looked like an ace in the making.

Then, in the fourth, he was hit in the head by a line drive, the result of which landed him on the disabled list for 15 days.

Upon his return to the mound, Bradley made four starts for the D-backs, failing to get past the fifth inning in any of them while allowing a total of 19 runs in 15.2 innings.

The 22-year-old’s struggles have left him with a 2-3 record and a 5.80 ERA, and Thursday, the team placed the right-hander on the 15-day disabled list with shoulder tendinitis.

“Just concerned because he’s an important piece of what we’re putting together, so you want to do the smart thing and be patient,” D-backs chief baseball officer Tony La Russa told Bickley and Marotta on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM Friday.

La Russa lamented the fact that in baseball, sometimes there is a lack of justice for certain players. He cited Bradley, who earned a spot in the starting rotation and was pitching well only to see his season sidetracked with the line drive, as an injustice. Then there is also catcher Tuffy Gosewisch, who tore his ACL and has been lost for the season, his first as a full-time starter.

“So there’s really no justice or explanation why Archie took the ball to the face and had to get out of that groove, but you deal with realities and the reality with Archie is we’re going to be real sure,” La Russa said. “He felt a little — it was fatigue — sometimes you’re off, even though you’re working out, when you come back you reach for a little extra and the extra’s not there.

“We’re going to make sure he’s real healthy and he’s got all his timing back in his delivery before we send him out there again at the major league level.”

Arizona Diamondbacks

Lourdes Gurriel Jr....

Alex Weiner

Diamondbacks keep good times rolling with 14-run inning, Opening Day rout of Rockies

What the Diamondbacks accomplished in the third inning against the Rockies on Thursday night was completely new for those in the ballpark. 

2 hours ago

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. flips his bat during Arizona Diamondbacks' 2024 Opening Day...

Arizona Sports

Diamondbacks score 14 runs in a single inning to beat Rockies on Opening Day

The Arizona Diamondbacks set franchise marks with 13 hits and 14 runs in the third inning of their 2024 Opening Day game against the Rockies.

6 hours ago

Blaze Alexander...

Alex Weiner

Blaze Alexander did all he could to make Diamondbacks’ Opening Day roster

Diamondbacks infielder Blaze Alexander put together a spring that made it too difficult for the team to send him back to the minor leagues.

9 hours ago

Ketel Marte celebrates...

Tyler Drake

Ketel Marte to lead off Arizona Diamondbacks’ Opening Day lineup

The Arizona Diamondbacks' Opening Day lineup is set ahead of their matchup against the Colorado Rockies on Thursday.

13 hours ago

Jordan Montgomery throws a pitch...

Tyler Drake

Hall: Diamondbacks’ addition of Jordan Montgomery ‘made a lot of sense’

The Diamondbacks' addition of Jordan Montgomery puts a bow on a rotation that should be in the conversation for the top spot across MLB.

14 hours ago

Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno...

Arizona Sports

Roundtable picks: One Diamondbacks young player to watch in 2024

Which Arizona Diamondbacks player should continue an upward trend in 2024? Gabriel Moreno, Brandon Pfaadt and Alek Thomas are possibilities.

15 hours ago

Tony La Russa: There’s ‘no justice’ in Archie Bradley’s struggles