DETROIT -- Although a fourth-year Major League pitcher, the Reds' Graham Ashcraft has enjoyed some new experiences already in 2025. Ashcraft got a new number, switching from 51 to 23 as a favor to starter Brady Singer when he was acquired. Ashcraft also took on the role of first-time reliever after three seasons as a starter. But for the right-hander, nothing will beat Ashcraft's first Father's Day as a new dad on Sunday. On Jan. 25, he and his wife Emily welcomed their baby daughter, Sophia James Ashcraft. With that came a whole new perspective. "How can it not change anything?" Ashcraft said. "You kind of go just being about you, and your wife, and being in the job I am in, a lot of time you have to be a little selfish because of the stuff we do each and every day. Bringing a baby, especially a baby girl, into this world makes it mean that much more to go home, because you go through so much. There are so many ups and downs, it's such a roller coaster in the season. Getting to have her at the house whenever I show up, it's never a bad day." |
Now that Sophia is almost five months old, Ashcraft is enjoying watching his daughter's development and personality taking shape in small ways. "She's starting to figure her feet and stuff out. She's starting to chitter-chatter a little bit. She's getting to the fun age," Ashcraft said. On the mound, the 27-year-old Ashcraft has become one of manager Terry Francona's key late-inning relievers for high-leverage situations. He is 4-4 with a 3.78 ERA in 28 appearances entering Sunday, and 10 of 10 of his inherited runners have been left stranded. The Reds have been pleased with how relatively smooth Ashcraft's transition to a bullpen role has been, as well as his preparation for pitching in back-to-back games. |
However, not every relief appearance goes his way. "She doesn't care. You know she doesn't know," Ashcraft said. "What makes it great is every time you walk through the door, that smiling face is sitting there looking at you, no matter what. No matter if you've had the worst day ever or the best day. That's something that always helps change your perspective when you get home. You go through so much, but coming home and seeing her sweet little face, it just completely turns everything around." Being a dad on Father's Day was already fun for Ashcraft before it got here. "It makes it awesome," he said. "My wife already gave me my Father's Day gift. I got it early, because they're not going to be in Detroit on Sunday. It's something real cute, I'll just say that, that my wife got me to wear." |
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Elly De La Cruz seems to be in a production sweet spot the past three weeks while making his case for All-Star consideration. The Reds’ shortstop is hitting .343/.443/.746 with seven home runs, 14 RBIs and 21 runs scored in his last 19 games since May 24. De La Cruz also has 12 walks in 79 plate appearances. VOTE NOW! Help make Reds All-Star Game starters Overall this season, De La Cruz has cut down his strikeout rate from 31.3 percent in 2024 to 26.6 percent in '25. He's also seeing fewer fastballs (four-seam, sinkers or cutters) this season. His 47.2 percent rate of fastballs is seventh-lowest among hitters who have seen at least 1,000 total pitches. Last season, 52.5 percent of pitches to him were fastballs. “I still think there’s more, which is probably unfair to him, because I’m sure everybody is always saying that. But I do believe that," Francona said. "His talent level and his wanting to be good, I do think there’s more in there.” When De La Cruz hit a fifth-inning solo home run during Friday's 11-5 Reds loss to the Tigers, it was his team-leading 14th of the season. It also marked his first career homer vs. the Tigers. That leaves only two clubs in the Major Leagues that De La Cruz has not notched a homer against -- the Athletics and the Rays. |
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