Cincinnati Reds Get One of Best Relief Pitchers Back, Send Zach Maxwell to Louisville

The Cincinnati Reds activated Graham Ashcraft from the Bereavement list on Saturday afternoon. In a corresponding roster move, the optioned relief pitcher Zach Maxwell to Triple-A Louisville.

They also transferred the rehab assignment of Nick Lodolo from High-A Dayton to Triple-A Louisville.

Ashcraft has mostly been Cincinnati's seventh-inning guy they can rely on when it's close late, especially when they have a lead. He's taken a big step this season. Through 15 games this season, the 28-year-old has an ERA of 1.20 and a WHIP of 1.267.

Opponents are hitting just .202 off of him and slugging just .297 against him.

His slider is a big reason why he's had so much success this season. Opponents are hitting .045 against him. He's getting them to swing and miss on his slider 45.8% of the time.

Another thing Ashcraft does well that benefits him, especially in a ballpark like Great American Ball Park, is generating groundballs. His ground ball% is 58.3%, which ranks in the 94th percentile of Major League Baseball.

“Stuff is starting to click,” Ashcraft told Charlie Goldsmith of Charlie's Chalkboard earlier this season. “Things are lining up with my release. It’s causing things to jump. I’d never have guessed I’d be throwing the slider like I have been this consistently. I know I’ve done it in the past, but it’s a glimpse of it here and there. I’m in a really good spot right now mechanically.”

Between Connor Phillips, Brock Burke, and Ashcraft, the Reds have tons of options they can go to late in games before they turn the keys over to Tony Santillan for the 8th and Emilio Pagan for the 9th.

Maxwell Needs to Continue to Work on Command

Cincinnati Reds pitcher Zach Maxwell (78) delivers a pitch in the eighth inning of a MLB game between the Cincinnati Reds and St. Louis Cardinals, Aug. 30, 2025, at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati. Cardinals won 4-2. | Frank Bowen IV/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Maxwell came on to replace Brady Singer in Friday's loss to the Pirates and really struggled. He gave up four runs on three hits in his inning plus of work. He walked two and struck out a batter.

Maxwell has a dominant fastball when he can command it, but too often he finds himself walking too many batters. If Maxwell can become more consistent with his location, he could be a dominant bullpen arm for the Reds for years to come.

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