Pirates Pitcher Returns From Family Medical Emergency List
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates didn't officially know who would serve as their starting pitcher ahead of their upcoming game vs. the St. Louis Cardinals coming into the series, but now do.
The Pirates will have right-handed pitcher Braxton Ashcraft start vs. the Cardinals in the second game of the series at PNC Park on April 28, with first pitch set for 6:40 p.m., according to Jose Negrón of DK Pittsburgh Sports.
Ashcraft went on the Major League Bereavement/Family Medical Emergency List on April 25, which allows teams to replace players who have to tend to a death or serious illness in the family.
Negrón reported that the Pirates are expected to activate Ashcraft from bereavement and have him back for this start, which would come in the three-to-seven day period that he could return.
Pirates Need Great Start from Braxton Ashcraft
Ashcraft is only in his first season as a full-time starter, after making his MLB Debut in late May 2025, working mostly out of the bullpen and then earning starts over the final two months.
The Pirates especially need him in this outing, as they have used their bullpen extensively over the past two games.
Right-handed starting pitcher Carmen Mlodzinski threw just 3.2 innings before giving up five earned runs in the fourth inning of the 5-0 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers in the series finale at American Family Field on April 26.
This forced the Pirates to use three pitchers, left-hander Evan Sisk for 1.2 innings and right-handers in Cam Sanders for two innings and Justin Lawrence for one innings afterwards.
Pittsburgh then had a mostly bullpen game vs. the Cardinals in the series opener on April 27, using right-hander Wilber Dotel for four innings from the third inning through the sixth inning.
The Pirates had left-hander Mason Montgomery make spot start in the first inning and then Lawrence throw the sixth inning.
Sisk got two outs in the seventh inning and right-hander Isaac Mattson got the last out. Left-hander Gregory Soto threw the eighth inning, right-hander Dennis Santana struggled in his blown save in the ninth inning and then Sanders got the last out.
Lawrence, Sanders and Sisk will not pitch for the Pirates vs. the Cardinals, as they have pitched the past two days and will get a break.
Right-hander Yohan Ramírez is the lone Pirates pitcher in the bullpen that hasn't thrown and will come in for Ashcraft when he's done. Mattson, Soto and Santana will also be available to pitch, while Dotel won't pitch after a four-inning outing the night prior.
Ashcraft Having Great Season for Pirates
Ashcraft has pitched incredibly well for the Pirates this season, helping make their starting rotation one of the best in baseball.
He has posted a 1-1 record in five starts, a 2.43 ERA over 29.2 innings pitched, 32 strikeouts to nine walks, a .202 batting average allowed (BAA) and a 1.01 WHIP. He ranks 13th in ERA, tied for 20th in WHIP and 25th in BAA amongst qualified MLB pitchers.
Ashcraft is coming off an incredible start vs. the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on April 22, where he threw 94 pitches over seven innings, allowed a two run home run and posted five strikeouts in a no-decision, with the Pirates winning 8-4 late.
That marked the most pitches and innings he's thrown in an outing in his career and shows that he's okay taking on a bigger workload, even with his extensive injury history, which kept him from making his MLB debut until he was 25 years old.
Ashcraft has thrown an excellent curveball, .074 BAA, and used his higher-velocity pitches in his four-seam fastball and sinker to compliment his offspeed pitches to dominate opposing hitters.
If he can execute his slider like he did as a rookie and then improve upon that, Ashcraft could really have a fantastic season on the mound for the Pirates, which they need if they want to make 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.