Ashcraft allowed one hit and one walk while striking out two over two scoreless relief innings to earn a hold in Friday's 5-3 win over Pittsburgh.
Ashcraft provided the bridge in the seventh and eighth innings, setting up Emilio Pagan for the save and picking up his second straight multi-inning hold. Ashcraft has not allowed a run over six appearances (7.1 innings) this season. Reds manager Terry Francona has leaned on Pagan as the team's closer, as the manager navigates endgame situations without Alexis Diaz (hamstring). However, Ashcraft's move from starter to reliever has been a success thus far and could eventually earn him save chances.
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Reds' Graham Ashcraft: Throws scoreless eighth inning
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Ashcraft allowed two hits over a scoreless eighth inning in Saturday's 3-2 win over the Giants.
Ashcraft worked around traffic with the help of a double-play grounder to earn his first hold. Cincinnati's late-game deployments are under scrutiny after the club placed closer Alexis Diaz (hamstring) on the injured list, and Ian Gibaut blew a save Opening Day. Going back to Ashcraft's days as a starter, Reds coaches have mused about the right-hander's makeup being suited for the bullpen, including as a closer. On Saturday, he worked in a set-up role for Emilio Pagan. This is a not a situation where once Diaz is healthy, he'll automatically get the closer's role back. He had trouble throwing strikes in limited Cactus League usage, which did not please manager Terry Francona.
Ashcraft could be used as the closer if Alexis Diaz does not win the role coming out of spring training, Gordon Wittenmyer of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports. "I think we still have some work to do," Reds manager Terry Francona said. "We want to make sure [Diaz's] got his legs under him, with his delivery and everything. We know what he can do. We just want to make sure he's ready to do it."
Diaz hasn't pitched a clean inning during Cactus League play, which included a disastrous outing March 15 that prompted him to work on delivery issues with pitching coach Derek Johnson. The pitcher then had a command-challenged outing against minor leaguers Friday, which set off speculation that Diaz may not be the closer and could open the regular season in the minors. Going back to 2024, there's been chatter about Ashcraft having the makeup of a high-leverage reliever. After he competed for the rotation during spring training, Ashcraft was shifted to the bullpen last week and pitched three scoreless relief innings Thursday. "We've all kind of teetered on that idea and what it would look like," Johnson, the pitching coach, said about Ashcraft as a reliever. "Obviously, we haven't seen it so we don't know. But he could be kind of that really nice piece in the bullpen that we didn't have to go out and acquire." Diaz is expected to throw an inning in the Reds' Cactus League finale Sunday, which could provide an indication about who will work as the team's closer when the season kicks off Thursday against the Giants.
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Reds' Graham Ashcraft: Sharp in relief outing
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Ashcraft walked one and struck out two over three scoreless innings of relief in Thursday's spring game against Kansas City.
Ashcraft was sharp in his first outing since losing out on the fifth spot in the rotation. He went 1-2-3 against the top of the Royals order in the fifth inning then added a scoreless sixth (walk, double play) and seventh, facing the minimum number of batters. Earlier in the day, manager Terry Francona decided on Carson Spiers over Ashcraft for the final rotation spot while Andrew Abbott (shoulder) will build up in extended spring training and eventually replace Spiers.
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Reds' Graham Ashcraft: Shifted to bullpen
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Ashcraft will open the season in the Reds' bullpen, Gordon Wittenmyer of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Ashcraft was stretched out this spring as a potential starting option, but he will begin the season in a bullpen role. It's possible he will still get a look as a starting pitcher again down the line, but Ashcraft's repertoire might be better suited for the bullpen, anyway.
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Reds' Graham Ashcraft: Struggles Friday
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Ashcraft allowed three runs on three hits and four walks while striking out two over 2.2 innings in Friday's spring start against the White Sox.
Ashcraft allowed four of the first five batters to reach base before being pulled -- he re-entered in the second inning -- and it was a grind in his fifth Cactus League start. With news that Andrew Abbott had an encouraging controlled start in a minor-league game earlier this week, Ashcraft's bid to win a spot in the rotation may have taken a hit. If Abbott can't get ready for the start of the regular season, Ashcraft could take a turn or two in April.
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Reds' Graham Ashcraft: Overcomes early stumble
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Ashcraft allowed one run on three hits and one walk while striking out five over four innings in Sunday's spring start against the Angels.
Ashcraft was greeted by back-to-back doubles to open his fourth Cactus League start but settled in after that. Following the two doubles, he retired seven straight, worked around a couple of base runners in the third inning, then set down the side in order in the fourth. The right-hander then went to the bullpen to throw another 10 pitches, upping his total for the day to 75. With Andrew Abbott (shoulder) getting ready for his spring debut this week and unlikely to be ready for Opening Day, it looks like Ashcraft may open the regular season in the Reds' rotation.
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Reds' Graham Ashcraft: Mixed results third time out
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Ashcraft allowed five runs on eight hits and one walk with two strikeouts over 2.2 innings in Tuesday's split-squad start against the Rockies.
Both Ashcraft and manager Terry Francona believed the outing was better than the results indicate, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports. "I thought in the first inning, he was really good," Francona said after the game. "The entire time, the ball came out of his hand really well." All five runs came home in the second inning, when a couple of soft-hit singles and a dribbler down the line contributed to the rally. There was also some loud contact in there, but that he sandwiched two scoreless innings around one unlucky one was a positive. This was Ashcraft's third Cactus League start, and the right-hander bumped his pitch count to 59 (37 strikes).
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Reds' Graham Ashcraft: Makes second spring start
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Ashcraft allowed one run on one hit and two walks while striking out three over two-plus innings in Thursday's spring start against the Diamondbacks.
Ashcraft, who was making his second Cactus League start, retired the side in order in the first inning before running into trouble in the second. A couple of errors, including his own, and a walk led to a one-out, bases-loaded situation, but the right-hander escaped unscathed. After a leadoff double and a walk in the third inning, Ashcraft was pulled after 43 pitches (22 strikes). He told Mark Feinsand of MLB.com that he was pleased with his slider, which had a good shape and landed in the zone, and felt good to get out of the second-inning jam.
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Reds' Graham Ashcraft: Throws two scoreless innings
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Ashcraft allowed one hit and struck out one over two scoreless innings in Saturday's split-squad spring game against the Brewers.
It was a strong start for Ashcraft, who is looking to claim a spot in the Reds' rotation. This was his first time pitching in a game environment since he was placed on the injured list last July with elbow soreness. Once a lock for the rotation, Ashcraft needs to win a spot this spring. He told C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic that he picked up good routines during rehab and they carried over into Saturday's outing. With a couple of starter candidates delayed this spring -- Andrew Abbott (shoulder) and Rhett Lowder (elbow) -- Ashcraft is in a good position to claim a spot in the rotation, although ever since he was drafted in 2019, the team has discussed a move to the bullpen. The right-hander said he's open for either role.
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Reds' Graham Ashcraft: Starting Saturday
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Ashcraft will start one of the Reds' split-squad games Saturday, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.
Ashcraft was a rotation lock the last two spring trainings, but that's not the case in 2025. The right-hander was limited to 15 starts with a 5.24 ERA in 2024 and was shut down for the second half of the season with a Grade 1-2 ulnar collateral sprain in his right elbow. He was able to resume throwing in the fall and pitched in an instructional league game, after which Ashcraft had a normal offseason. Saturday's opportunity does give him a bit of a head start on two other rotation candidates, as both Andrew Abbott (shoulder) and Rhett Lowder (elbow) are being brought along slowly to begin spring training. The Reds have also considered Ashcraft as a potential arm for the bullpen.
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Reds' Graham Ashcraft: Faces hitters Thursday
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Ashcraft (elbow) threw a live batting practice session Thursday, Gordon Wittenmyer of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Ashcraft looks to be opening spring training without any restrictions after he didn't pitch after the All-Star break last season due to a right elbow strain. The 27-year-old will be vying for a spot in the Opening Day rotation, but with the Reds adding Brady Singer in the offseason, the team may not have a starting role available for Ashcraft. The right-hander could change minds with a strong showing in spring training, but his track record as a starter over parts of three big-league seasons isn't overly impressive (4.91 ERA, 1.52 WHIP in 328 innings), and his lack of reliable offerings beyond his big fastball and slider could make him a better fit in the bullpen.
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Reds' Graham Ashcraft: Bullpen option?
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The Reds believe Ashcraft (elbow) could be a bullpen weapon, C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic reports.
Apparently, the Reds held this belief since Ashcraft was drafted, but starters are more valuable, and he had some success in that role initially. Cincinnati added to the rotation during the offseason, and if all are healthy, Ashcraft would be outside the rotation.
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