Pirates Announce Starting Pitcher for Finale vs. Nationals
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates know who will take the mound in for the final game of their current series.
The Pirates will have right-handed pitcher Braxton Ashcraft start against the Washington Nationals in their series finale at PNC Park on April 16, with first pitch set for 12:35 p.m.
Ashcraft was in line for this game, but the Pirates hadn't officially announced who would serve as the starting pitcher, so the announcement makes it clear that the Pirates will go with their young arm.
The Pirates didn't announce the starter for the third game of the series, as they had left-handed relief pitcher Mason Montgomery make the start and then starter Carmen Mlodzinski come in as a bulk reliever.
It ended up working, as Montgomery threw a scoreless fourth inning and then Mlodzinski threw six scoreless in the eventual 2-0 win.
How Braxton Ashcraft Has Pitched for the Pirates in 2026
This is Ashcraft's first full season as a starter in the major leagues, after making his MLB debut last season and working out of the bullpen, before getting some opportunities in the rotation.
Ashcraft has had a strong showing so far this season, with a 1-1 record in three starts, a 2.12 ERA over 17.0 innings pitched, tied for a team-high 20 strikeouts to five walks, 1.00 WHIP and a .200 batting average allowed (BAA).
He threw six innings in his season debut vs. the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on March 30, giving up two runs, but still took the loss in the 2-0 defeat.
Ashcraft then excelled in his home debut vs. the Baltimore Orioles at PNC Park on April 5, allowing just one run over six innings and posting nine strikeouts with no walks in the 8-2 victory.
He faced off against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on April 11 in his most recent start, throwing five innings of one-run ball and posting a career-high nine strikeouts in the no-decision, with the Pirates getting the 4-3 win in extra innings.
Ashcraft hasn't allowed more than four hits in each of his starts and after walking four batters vs. the Reds, he issued just one walk his past two starts.
He's gone mostly with his four-seam fastball this year, but the pitch that has been his best is his curveball, his second-most used pitch and holding hitters to a .059 batting average on it
Pitch | Usage | Average Velocity | BAA |
|---|---|---|---|
Four-Seam Fastball | 31.5% | 96.6 mph | .222 |
Curveball | 27.9% | 84.3 mph | .059 |
Sinker | 18.7% | 96.4 mph | .182 |
Slider | 17.9% | 91.1 mph | .300 |
Split Finger | 4.0% | 90.7 mph | .500 |
The Pirates will want to see how Ashcraft does in handling a heavier workload, especially with his extensive injury history, that will make them cautious about his pitch counts throughout 2026.
As for now, Ashcraft has been excellent for the Pirates and they'll need more starts like he's had so far if they're going to seriously compete for the postseason.
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Dominic writes for Pittsburgh Pirates On SI, Pittsburgh Panthers Pn SI and also, Pittsburgh Steelers On SI. A Pittsburgh native, Dominic grew up watching Pittsburgh Sports and wrote for The Pitt News as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, covering Pitt Athletics. He would write for Pittsburgh Sports Now after college and has years of experience covering sports across Pittsburgh.