Reds lose leverage reliever Ashcraft to 60-day IL with right UCL sprain
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The Reds, who are already missing multiple key members of their starting rotation, will be without one of their top relievers for the foreseeable future.
The club placed right-handed setup man Graham Ashcraft on the 60-day injured list Friday with a UCL sprain in his right forearm. Right-hander Yunior Marte was called up from Triple-A Louisville in a corresponding move.
A converted starter, Ashcraft has been stellar in relief the past two seasons. This year, he owns a 3.33 ERA across 27 innings and has held opposing hitters to a .183 average. He gets a ton of ground balls -- his 54.1% ground-ball rate this season ranks in the 92nd percentile of MLB -- that helps him limit hard contact.
Ashcraft last pitched on Monday, tossing a clean ninth inning in Cincinnati’s 7-2 win over the Mets. He now joins a group of ailing Reds pitchers that includes starters Hunter Greene and Rhett Lowder.
Marte, whom the Reds signed to a Minor League contract this past January, hasn’t pitched in the big leagues since spending 26 innings with the Phillies in 2024. He’s posted a 5.12 ERA through 19 1/3 innings (20 appearances) this season with Louisville.