Cincinnati Reds Get Encouraging Graham Ashcraft Update After UCL Injury

When Cincinnati Reds' reliever Graham Ashcraft was placed on the injured list on May 25, there was speculation that he wasn't going to pitch again this season. The team announced that he has been sent to Triple-A Louisville for a rehab assignment on Tuesday.

This Is A Surprising, But Necessary Move

Graham Achcraf — May 23, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Reds pitcher Graham Ashcraft reacts after the final out of the eighth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Ashcraft was placed on the 60-day injured list on May 25 with a UCL sprain in his right elbow. He opted for PRP treatment over surgery in hopes that he could pitch again this season. Prior to going on the IL, the 28-year-old was sporting a 3.33 ERA with 32 strikeouts and a 1.22 WHIP. Batters were hitting just .183 against him, the best average of his career.

Ashcraft coming back, while it is a great sign for a Reds bullpen that has been more hit than miss, is somewhat surprising due to the team being so far out of a playoff race and risking re-injury.

The good news is, Ashcraft is the final piece to the original bullpen that began the season. That bullpen was one of the best in baseball through April and has shown flashes of being that good in late July and early August. When he got injured, the team was without Emilio Pagan, Pierce Johnson, and Tony Santillan. Pagan returned in July, Johnson returned in mid-June, and Santillan just returned last week. Add to that, Hunter Greene has missed the majority of this season and will miss nearly all of next season, and Nick Lodolo has had multiple stints on the IL; the Reds' pitching staff has dealt with a lot of injuries this season.

It's A Tough Road Ahead

Aug 24, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Cincinnati Reds first baseman Sal Stewart (27) strikes our during the eighth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob Kupbens-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Reds are in the midst of a three-game series in San Francisco. They are coming off a terrible loss on Monday after being shut out again. They have been shut out four times over their last 14 games and have scored one run or less in six of their last 14 games. After the Giants series, the toughest stretch of baseball takes place.

The team travels to Chicago on Friday for a three-game series against the Cubs, then returns home to play the San Diego Padres. After San Diego, they play a three-game series versus the Brewers. Next, they travel to Los Angeles to play the Dodgers and back to Milwaukee to play the Brewers. They return home for a four-game series versus the Dodgers and a three-game series against the Cubs before going on the road to finish the season in Atlanta and Toronto.

As of Tuesday, the Reds are 62-70 and are 19 1/2 games out of first place in the division and nine games out of a Wild Card spot. The teams they play over the next month? The Cubs lead the Wild Card, the Padres hold the final spot, the Dodgers are in first place in the West, the Braves are in first place in the East, and the lightest part of the schedule is in Toronto, who took the Dodgers to seven games in the World Series last season.

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