Pirates' Braxton Ashcraft Makes Important Adjustment vs. Giants
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PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Braxton Ashcraft has been dominant this season, but had to make a change in his most recent against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park.
Ashcraft chose his slider as his pitch against the Giants, which worked out in his favor, as he posted four strikeouts, en route to just one run allowed over seven innings in the eventual 13-3 victory.
It's a pitch that Ashcraft had great success with his rookie season in 2025, but hadn't done as well with it prior to this start.
Ashcraft showed that even when his other pitches aren't doing so well, he can find ways to excel and still dominate opposing hitting,
Why Ashcraft Went With the Slider
Ashcraft had only thrown his slider on average 18% of the time, but that jumped up to 34% in this outing and increased
He generated seven whiffs on 15 swings, the most he's done on any pitch in any start, and also had 12 whiffs in a start, the most in a start in his career.
Ashcraft threw his slider more than any other pitch and also much more than his curveball, at just 18%.
Braxton Ashcraft Pitch Mix
Pitch | Usage | Average Velocity |
|---|---|---|
Slider | 27/80 (34%) | 91.7 mph |
Four-Seam Fastball | 26/80 (33%) | 96.8 mph |
Curveball | 14/80 (18%) | 85.4 mph |
Sinker | 12/80 (15%) | 96.3 mph |
Splitter | 1/80 (1%) | 90.1 mph |
The curveball has been Ashcraft's best pitch this season, coming into this start with a .104 batting average allowed (BAA) on it, compared to his slider, which he had a .346 BAA.
Ashcraft initially went with his curveball, throwing it 29% of the time the first time through the Giants batting order, but then dropping it down to 9% the second time and 12% the third time.
This is in contrast to his slider, which he threw 19% the first time through the Giants batting order, but increased it to 43% the second time and 42% the third time.
Braxton Ashcraft (Pitches Through Batting Order)
Pitch | First Time | Second Time | Third Time |
|---|---|---|---|
Slider | 19% | 43% | 42% |
Four-Seam Fastball | 35% | 35% | 27% |
Curveball | 29% | 9% | 12% |
Sinker | 16% | 13% | 15% |
Splitter | 4% |
Pirates catcher Joey Bart said that his curveball wasn't as effective as it normally is and loved seeing that change from Ashcraft and that it ended up working out in the end.
“I think, early on he was just hanging a few, you know what I mean," Bart said to SportsNet Pittsburgh postgame. "We stuck with it, we got outs with it, but it just usually wasn’t that strikeout pitch that he has. Speaks a lot for a guy when you don’t have your best pitch, you’re able to maneuver the lineup. That’s really impressive.
Ashcraft had just a .225 BAA on his slider last season and that he knows he can go to any pitch in his arsenal and use it well, trusting his defense and his catcher to do their jobs.
“Yeah, I mean that’s the beauty of having multiple pitches," Ashcraft said postgame. "I think probably the fact that I throw a lot of strikes, get guys out of the box early. Not letting at-bats extend and going deep into games.
"So just whatever we have on that day, you identify it early and you lean on it hard. I trust my stuff, I trust Joey, I trust the guys in the field. The balls in play aren’t necessarily a concern, it’s just minimizing mistakes and letting the team work behind me."
Ashcraft Continues Great Season vs. Giants
Ashcraft only gave up one run in this game, a solo home run to Giants designated Bryce Eldridge, his first in the major leagues.
The Pirates starter was pretty exceptional outside of that and even staved off a scoring attempt in the sixth inning with runners on the corners and one out, as he struck out first baseman Rafael Devers and got a fly out from Eldridge.
It was his third time in the past four starts and his second consecutive start going at least seven innings and he's given up a total of three runs combined in those starts.
Ashcraft is 2-2 in eight starts this season for the Pirates, posting a 2.77 ERA over 48.2 innings pitched, 51 strikeouts to 14 walks, a .214 BAA and a 1.05 WHIP.
He's also allowed two earned runs or less in seven of those eight starts, the second-best mark in the major leagues, behind New York Mets right-hander Clay Holmes, who has gone eight-for-eight in that regard.
The Pirates will need his prowess the rest of the season and Bart is confident he can keep up these great performances.
"...I think really highly of this kid," Bart said to SportsNet Pittsburgh. "I think he’s really, really good. Obviously, I think everybody knows that now. For him, it’s just to keep getting better, stay healthy and keep it moving."
Braxton Ashcraft tonight:
— Platinum Key (@PlatinumKey13) May 10, 2026
7.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 6 SO, 1 HR
80 pitches, 62 strikes, 12 whiffs
Exactly what the Pirates needed. He now has a 2.77 ERA this year. STUD. pic.twitter.com/L4lQsrWfFF
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Dominic writes for Pittsburgh Pirates On SI, Pittsburgh Panthers Pn SI and also, Pittsburgh Steelers On SI. A Pittsburgh native, Dominic grew up watching Pittsburgh Sports and wrote for The Pitt News as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, covering Pitt Athletics. He would write for Pittsburgh Sports Now after college and has years of experience covering sports across Pittsburgh.