Reds Place One of Top Pitchers on Bereavement List, Call Up Flame Thrower

The Reds bullpen has been fantastic this year.

May 28, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Cincinnati Reds relief pitcher Luis Mey (62) pitches during the seventh inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

The Cincinnati Reds have placed right-handed reliever Graham Ashcraft on the bereavement list and called up hard-throwing right-handed pitcher Luis Mey.

Ashcraft has been one of Cincinnati's best pitchers so far this year. He already has a bWAR of 0.8. To put that in perspective, his bWAR last season was 0.2 and it was 0.3 in 2024.

He's appeared in 15 games for the Reds and has given up just two earned runs over 15 innings.

“I’ve got to keep pounding the zone like I was last year and let stuff happen."Ashcraft told FOX 19's Charlie Goldsmith in Spring Training. "I’m a ground ball guy. I’ll get punch outs when I need to, but a lot of my outs come from the ground. I’ve got to induce weak contact when I can and let the rest take care of itself. Stay after them. Don’t back down. You have to go in there and shut the door.”

Luis Mey Gets Another Shot

Aug 3, 2025; Bristol, Tennessee, USA; Cincinnati Reds pitcher Luis Mey (62) reacts during the fourth inning against the Atlanta Braves at Bristol Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Bryan Lynn-Imagn Images | Bryan Lynn-Imagn Images

24-year-old Luis Mey appeared in 23 games for the Reds in 2025. He saw up-and-down results. In 23 games, Mey had an ERA of 3.34 with 17 strikeouts in 21 innings. However, he walked 17 batters in those 21 innings, which can be his downfall.

This season with Triple-A Louisville, Mey has given up six earned runs over 11 innings. He's struck out 14, but he's walked just three batters, which is encouraging.

After struggling in his first three appearances of the season, Mey has looked better of late. He's striking out batters 31.3% of the time and walking batters just 6.3% of the time. His WHIP is at 1.000 over his last eight games.

Mey knows his control is what he's got to continue to work on.

The thing I’m missing right now is I can miss a little bit with the strike zone,” Mey told MiLB.com's Lindsey Budin. “I’m just trying to pound the zone more. I have to just throw as hard as I can right down the middle and the outcome could be a hit, it could be a homer. But it’ll be mostly outs; swing and misses or groundballs.”

Cincinnati's bullpen has been one of the best units in Major League Baseball to this point, and are a big reason why the Reds are 19-10 to start the season. Mey likely won't get many high-leverage innings, but it's good to see him earn his way back up to the show.