The Pittsburgh Pirates have optioned reliever Hunter Stratton to Triple-A Indianapolis ahead of Tuesday’s matchup with the Milwaukee Brewers, according to Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
The move follows a shaky outing by Stratton on Monday that nearly derailed Braxton Ashcraft’s MLB debut. Ashcraft impressed with three scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and no walks while striking out two. However, Stratton struggled in relief, surrendering three runs on four hits in just one inning before being replaced by Chase Shugart.
The Pirates have yet to announce who will fill Stratton’s spot on the active roster, but it’s expected to be another bullpen arm. Pittsburgh utilized five pitchers during Monday’s game, using it as a bullpen day to give starter Andrew Heaney additional rest following his appearance in last week’s doubleheader against Detroit.
Stratton’s demotion comes in sharp contrast to Ashcraft’s promising performance. Although he didn’t factor into the decision in the Pirates’ 5-4 victory, the 25-year-old rookie made a strong case for a spot in the rotation. A second-round pick in the 2018 MLB Draft, Ashcraft had mostly served as a starter in the minors, posting a 3-3 record and a 5.03 ERA over 10 Triple-A starts this season. Since his late May call-up, he had been used exclusively out of the bullpen in seven appearances before Monday’s start.
Ashcraft threw just 35 pitches (28 strikes) over three innings, suggesting he could have gone deeper had it been necessary. Through 14 2/3 Major League innings, he’s put together an impressive 1.23 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, and a 12:6 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
In contrast, Stratton has struggled significantly at the big-league level, posting a 23.63 ERA in just 2 2/3 innings with only one strikeout. Given his performance, it’s unlikely he’ll rejoin the Pirates’ roster anytime soon.
Leave a Reply