Ashcraft walked one and struck out two over a scoreless inning in Sunday's 3-1 loss to the Phillies.

EDGE Analysis

Ashcraft, fresh off the injured list Friday, had a pair of scoreless outings over the weekend. Both appearances were in the seventh inning, as Ashcraft maintains a late-game role out of the Cincinnati bullpen. He has a 3.96 ERA and a 1.46 WHIP with 41 strikeouts and 15 walks across 36.1 innings.

The Reds activated Ashcraft (groin) from the 15-day injured list Friday.

EDGE Analysis

The right-hander landed on the shelf in mid-June due to a groin strain and will rejoin the big-league bullpen without needing a minor-league rehab assignment. In his first season as a reliever, Ashcraft has a 4.19 ERA, 1.51 WHIP and 38:14 K:BB across 34.1 innings while recording nine holds.

Ashcraft (groin) threw about 20 pitches in a live batting practice session Wednesday, Molly Burkhardt of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Ashcraft is closing in on a return following a couple of bullpen sessions over the weekend and then Wednesday's batting practice. The next step could be a brief rehab stint, or the Reds could opt to activate him, as the right-hander has completed the 15-day minimum on the IL.

Ashcraft (groin) threw a bullpen session Friday and is scheduled for another one Sunday, MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

If all goes well this weekend, Ashcraft will throw a simulated game Wednesday in Boston. The right-hander transitioned this season from starter to reliever, a role for which the organization feels he's suited, with mixed results. The Reds believe Ashcraft has the right makeup to close games, and there was some chatter back in spring training about him getting ninth-inning chances, but Emilio Pagan is currently thriving in that role for Cincinnati.

The Reds placed Ashcraft on the 15-day injured list Tuesday with a right groin strain.

EDGE Analysis

Ashcraft has struggled lately, permitting 10 runs over his last 11.1 relief innings. He'll be eligible for activation July 1, but it's unclear whether he'll be ready to go on that date. Luis Mey is taking Ashcraft's spot on the roster and in the bullpen.

Ashcraft blew the save Thursday against Atlanta after allowing two runs and two hits and one walk in the ninth inning. He struck out one.

EDGE Analysis

Closer Emilio Pagan worked each of Cincinnati's past two games, which opened the door for Ashcraft to receive his second save opportunity of the season. However, Ashcraft is now 0-for-2 on save chances in 2025, and he's given up six runs over his last seven outings after opening the season on a nine-inning scoreless streak. The right-hander owns a 2.95 ERA and 19:9 K:BB over 18.1 innings and should continue to see high-leverage work, but his shakier 1.36 WHIP could give manager Terry Francona some trepidation the next time he needs to choose an arm in the event that Pagan is unavailable in a save situation.

Ashcraft (2-2) struck out four over three hitless and scoreless innings to earn the win over the Cardinals on Thursday.

EDGE Analysis

A rain delay limited starter Andrew Abbott to four innings, prompting the need for Ashcraft to work multiple frames. Ashcraft retired all nine batters he faced, extending his streak to 13 straight batters that have failed to reach base against him, including eight retired via strikeout. He's handled the transition from starter to reliever with aplomb, posting a 0.57 ERA over 15.2 innings.

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.

EDGE Analysis

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.

Ashcraft allowed two hits over a scoreless eighth inning in Saturday's 3-2 win over the Giants.

EDGE Analysis

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."

EDGE Analysis

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.