PITTSBURGH – For only the second time in his brief big-league career, the Pittsburgh Pirates used Braxton Ashcraft as a starting pitcher.
Ashcraft covered a career-high 3.1 innings in the Pirates’ 2-1 loss to the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday night. He allowed three hits, walked one and struck out a career-high five batters.
“It’s good to be back in the first inning,” Ashcraft said following the game. “It’s good to go through the whole routine without any interruptions in terms of just the way things go as a reliever.”
Ashcraft walked the first batter he faced before settling into a nice grove. After issuing the free pass to leadoff man TJ Friedl, the rookie right-hander struck out four of the next six batters he faced.
“He did a nice job,” Kelly said of Ashcraft’s start. “First inning, looked like he was spraying it a little bit in the beginning. The fastball command wasn’t there. But he slowed it down, dialed it back in. The slider was really effective for him.”
Ashcraft’s night ended after allowing a one-out single to Spencer Steer. Two batters later, Noelvi Marte plated Steer double to left off Carmen Mlodzinski with the run going on Ashcraft’s final line.
Though he’s only done it twice with the Pirates, Ashcraft had been a starting pitcher throughout his minor-league career, one that was halted several times due to injuries. He underwent Tommy John surgery in 2021 and also had surgeries on his left shoulder and his knee.
Given his history, the Pirates’ decision to use Ashcraft out of the bullpen has been a way to monitor his innings. Even so, he’s already thrown more innings this season between Triple-A Indianapolis and the Pirates (85) than he has any other year of his professional career.
“It’s been a transition, but I think it’s been for the better,” he explained. “Just learning more and more and more about how I need to prepare, how I need to recover and taking that more seriously than I otherwise would’ve had to as a starter.”
Though Ashcraft’s powerful right arm has already reached new heights in terms of workload, the 25-year-old is feeling strong and healthy.
“Today I felt really, really, really good. I haven’t felt this good, body-wise, in a really long time,” he said. “So it feels good to feel good, especially in August.”
Though Ashcraft’s career as a traditional starting pitcher is on pause for the time being, there’s a chance he returns to the rotation in the future.
But given what he’s gone through physically and the Pirates’ wise choice to watch his workload over the final weeks of the season, that chance probably won’t come this year.
Until then, Ashcraft will continue to try and build upon the success he’s had in his first year in the big leagues. Through 18 appearances on the season, he owns a healthy 3.19 ERA. Starting games again, however, will stay in the back of Ashcraft’s mind.
“I think that with the early stages of my career, having done that and done that pretty well, I don’t think it’s out of the question, and it’s just more opportunities present themselves and keep taking advantage of them.”