Braxton Ashcraft looking great to start the season for Pirates

TL;DR

Braxton Ashcraft has made a strong start to the season for the Pittsburgh Pirates, throwing a career-high seven innings in his latest game. He holds a 2.43 ERA over five starts, contributing significantly to the team's rotation depth.

Key points

Braxton Ashcraft has a 1-1 record and 2.43 ERA this season.
He pitched a career-high seven innings against the Texas Rangers.
Ashcraft's performance adds depth to the Pirates' starting rotation.

Braxton AshcraftPittsburgh PiratesTexas Rangers

PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 16: Braxton Ashcraft #35 of the Pittsburgh Pirates in action against the Washington Nationals at PNC Park on April 16, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) | Getty Images One of the strengths for the Pittsburgh Pirates to start the season has been their starting rotation, and right-handed pitcher Braxton Ashcraft is a big reason because of that. In his most recent start for the Pirates, he threw seven innings and 94 pitches, both career-highs, while only allowing two earned runs against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on April 22, earning an 8-4 victory. Ashcraft is in his first full season as a starting pitcher at the major league level and he’s done incredibly well so far for the Bucs. He has 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 and a 1.01 WHIP. His strikeouts are tied for 15th in baseball, with his BAA 25th in baseball and his WHIP ranks 33rd as well. The 26-year-old started the season with a little walk problem after walking four batters in his season debut on March 30th but in his four starts in April he only walked five batters. He also just gave up his first home run of the season against the Rangers, but soon settled in and got some ground balls and went the longest he has in his major league career. This is massive news for Pittsburgh because of the fact that Ashcraft is the fourth pitcher in their rotation. The fact that the Buccos are getting that contribution from someone pretty far in the depth chart is massive. It shows how deep the Pirates starting rotation actually is, which is important because of the shaky start from the bullpen. The Pirates have a lot of faith in the young pitcher as well, with no real pitching limits. Ashcraft has had some injury problems in the past dating from his minor league days in triple-A. His 29.2 innings pitched lead the Pirates and are tied for 19th-most in baseball. Pirates fans knew that was going to do his thing and that they were going to get solid outings out of and , so the fact they are also getting serious production out of Ashcraft is massive. Ashcraft has been one of the biggest surprises for the Pirates to start the season and if he can continue to pitch like this, the Pittsburgh starting rotation would be in a great place.

Q&A

What are Braxton Ashcraft's current stats for the 2026 season?

Braxton Ashcraft has a 1-1 record with a 2.43 ERA over 29.2 innings, 32 strikeouts, and a .202 batting average allowed.

How did Braxton Ashcraft perform in his latest game against the Texas Rangers?

In his latest game against the Texas Rangers, Ashcraft pitched seven innings, allowed two earned runs, and helped secure an 8-4 victory for the Pirates.

Why is Braxton Ashcraft's performance significant for the Pittsburgh Pirates?

Ashcraft's strong performance is significant as he is the fourth pitcher in the rotation, providing crucial depth amid concerns about the bullpen's shaky start.