Reds place Ashcraft (right forearm strain) on IL, activate Lodolo
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LOS ANGELES -- As the Reds head into the final month of the season trying to remain a contender for a playoff spot, they will be without one of their top late-inning relievers.
Graham Ashcraft was placed on the 15-day injured list on Wednesday with a right forearm strain. The move was retroactive to Monday.
“We’ve got 28 games left in the year [after Wednesday's game], and of course, something had to come up when things were going pretty good for me," Ashcraft said.
The good news is that Ashcraft could be ready on his earliest activation date, Sept. 9.
“That’s what we’re shooting for. The goal is, come 15 days, I’m back on the saddle," he said.
Moved from the rotation to the bullpen during Spring Training, Ashcraft has primarily been used in high-leverage situations in the seventh and eighth innings this season. He has a 3.72 ERA in 53 appearances with 56 strikeouts over 58 innings. The right-hander has stranded 17 of his 21 inherited runners this season while retiring 36 of 53 first batters faced.
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Ashcraft, who last pitched a scoreless inning on Sunday at Arizona, was sent for an MRI exam on Tuesday after having soreness in his arm.
“I haven’t really been dealing with this at all. It kind of just came up the first game of the series here," Ashcraft said.
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The MRI showed inflammation in a muscle near Ashcraft's wrist. There was comfort that there was no recurrence of the right elbow strain that had him out the entire second half of 2024.
“Elbow looks good, even from everything last year," Ashcraft said. "They said the elbow looked phenomenal.”
Taking Ashcraft's place on the roster is Nick Lodolo, who was activated from the IL to start the series finale for Cincinnati against the Dodgers. Lodolo had been out since Aug. 5 with a blister on his left index finger.
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With Lodolo's return giving Cincinnati six viable starting pitchers, the club will likely move Nick Martinez back to the bullpen to bolster its relievers. Martinez was already switched to the bullpen earlier this month, but it lasted only one game because he was needed to replace the injured Lodolo in the rotation.
“It’s pretty valuable. It will help us," manager Terry Francona said of Martinez's versatility.
Off-days in the upcoming schedule, including on Thursday, will also help prevent the Reds' bullpen from becoming overtaxed. However, the remaining schedule is not forgiving. Three of the Reds' next four series are against playoff contenders -- the Blue Jays, Mets and Padres.