The Reds announced Thursday that they have opted to use the struggling right-hander Graham Ashcraft to Triple-A Louisville. His spot on the roster will go to a reliever Emilio Paganwho is being reinstated after serving on the 15-day injured list with a triceps injury.
It’s the first time Ashcraft, 26, has been optioned to the minors since May 2022, when he was sent up a day after making his MLB debut at first base. The 2019 sixth-round pick started 19 games for Cincinnati in 2022 and another 26 games last year. Had it not been for a calf strain and pressure on his foot, he would have been given a first-round ticket in the Reds’ transfer window last season.
Although Ashcraft has struggled with consistency, he has at times looked the part of a viable third or fourth baseman in the Reds rotation. He opened last season with a career-best 2.00 ERA in his first six trips to the mound, and while his K-BB profile didn’t support that level of success, he was showing great groundball tendencies and finding success with the new cutter. and a redesigned slider that looked much better than his 2022 version of the same pitch.
Disaster followed, with Ashcraft conceding 47 runs in 33 innings in his next eight innings – including outings of ten, eight, seven (twice) and six. Lost heading into that six-week stretch, Ashcraft then pitched twelve starts of 2.58 ERA ball to close out the season, averaging 6 1/3 innings per start along the way and not allowing more than three runs in any start. . . The big righty still had a subpar strikeout rate in that excellent run but made up for that flaw with improved command and strong ground ball tendencies. It was a promising end to the season — one that seemed to speak louder than his pedestrian 4.76 ERA.
The 2024 season has been a struggle once again, although it hasn’t reached the level of eye-popping last year. Ashcraft currently sports a 5.05 ERA with a below-average 17.4% strikeout rate but a solid 7.5% walk rate and encouraging 49% groundball rate. However, after pitching more than six innings early last year and going into the sixth inning in five of his first six games this season, Ashcraft has struggled with efficiency of late. He has finished sixth just once in his past six trips to the mountain. While he’s averaging less than 4 2/3 frames per outing this time around, he’s done it while needing an average of 89 pitches along the way.
Unsurprisingly, Ashcraft’s results have suffered. He posted a 3.63 ERA through his first six starts but has posted a 6.83 ERA since then. His walk rate increased from 6.1% to 9%, and his strikeout rate decreased from 20.1% to 14.3%. Now he will try to get back on track in Louisville.
From a service time standpoint, Ashcraft’s demotion likely won’t alter his path to free agency. He entered the season with 1.136 years of MLB career, meaning he needed only 36 more days to reach two years and remain on track to reach free agency in the 2028-29 offseason. That said, he was in a position to be a Super Two player, making him eligible for compensation four times instead of the usual three, and that wouldn’t happen if his stay in Louisville lasted more than a few weeks.
The Reds will continue to field a complementary rotation Hunter Greene, Nick Lodolo, Andrew Abbott again Frankie Montas. Veteran swingman Nick Martinez, who was signed to a two-year deal, may fall back on the shift in Ashcraft’s position for now. Triple-A debut Connor Phillips, Christian Roa, Lyon Richardson again Carson Spiers all are on the 40-man roster and could represent other options, but Spiers is the only team that has played well in Louisville this season. He has made four relief appearances for Cincinnati this season, spanning 13 2/3 innings of 3.29 ERA ball.
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