Brad Radke

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Radke's journey began at Jesuit High School of Tampa, where he set a single-season school record with a 0.31 ERA and played basketball before accepting a scholarship to the University of South Florida. Not considered a top prospect initially, he developed into a reliable force in the Twins' rotation from the late 1990s through the mid-2000s. His resilience was evident in his ability to win 12 consecutive starts in 1997, joining an elite group of players including Bob Gibson and Pat Dobson to achieve this since 1950. While celebrated for his control, Radke faced challenges with home runs, at one point surrendering 40 in a single season, and struggled significantly in the first inning, allowing a .285/.324/.508 slash line and a 5.05 ERA in that frame alone.

In Their Own Story

The 2006 season tested Radke's durability as he pitched through a torn labrum before suffering a stress fracture in his shoulder on August 29. Sideline status seemed imminent, but by September 12, he threw catch from 110 feet without pain, aiming to return for the Twins' playoff drive. He made his final regular-season start on September 28 against the Kansas City Royals, pitching five innings in a 2–1 victory. His career concluded with an appearance in Game 3 of the AL Division Series against the Oakland Athletics, where he gave up four runs on two home runs in four innings. Radke officially announced his retirement on December 19, 2006. He was inducted into the Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame on July 11, 2009, and honored by raising a pennant flag at Target Field on April 12, 2010.

Reader's Guide

Radke's statistical profile highlights his consistency and control. From 1998 to 2001, he averaged 12 wins and 32 starts per season while pitching over 210 innings annually. He led the American League in strikeout-to-walk ratio in 2001 and ranks 33rd all-time for lowest walks per nine innings pitched (1.681). In his AL debut interleague appearances, he batted 29 times with a .103 average, recording 3 hits and 5 sacrifice hits but no walks. His postseason record stands at 2–3 with a 3.19 ERA over 31 innings. Notably, in the 2002 ALDS against Oakland, he won both of his starts with a 1.54 ERA, including a dominant performance where he shut out the Angels for six innings in the ALCS despite the team's eventual series loss. At retirement, he ranked second in franchise history in starts (377) and third in wins (148), innings pitched (2,451), and strikeouts (1,467).

Did You Know?

• Radke was the third player since 1950 to win 12 consecutive starts, joining Bob Gibson and Pat Dobson.
• He allowed a .285/.324/.508 slash line in the first inning, resulting in a 5.05 ERA for that frame compared to his career 4.22 mark.
• Radke was featured in a 1995 Sega Sports commercial lampooning his susceptibility to home runs.
• He returned from a September 2 shoulder injury to pitch on September 28, 2006, throwing five innings with no pain after catching from 110 feet just weeks prior.
• His son Ryan played basketball at Radke's alma mater, Jesuit High School of Tampa.