BASEBALL: Braxton Ashcraft, ascending Pirates set for finale vs. Nationals

Pirates right-hander Braxton Ashcraft and Washington Nationals left-hander Foster Griffin will aim to continue their respective impressive starts to the season when they take the mound Thursday afternoon in Pittsburgh.

Ashcraft (1-1, 2.12 ERA) also will attempt to lead the Pirates to their 11th win in 15 games.

Griffin (2-0, 1.76), who will pitch against Pittsburgh for the first time in his career, has put together three solid starts in his return to the majors this season after spending the past three years pitching in Japan.

Griffin has thrown five or more innings and allowed two runs or fewer against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies and Milwaukee Brewers. Griffin's most recent outing at Milwaukee was his best as he carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning until giving up a single to Joey Ortiz.

He walked three batters but only struck out one during his 80-pitch outing.

"It's just so impressive to sit back and watch him do his thing against a really good lineup," Nationals manager Blake Butera said after Griffin's start last Saturday.

Griffin underwent Tommy John surgery after his brief debut with Kansas City in 2020. After a short return to the majors in 2022, he signed with the Yomiuri Giants and became a top starter.

Griffin will try to help the Nationals earn a split of the four-game series and continue his stellar run since signing a one-year, $5.5 million deal with Washington last December. He added three pitches this offseason -- a splitter, sinker and sweeper -- and has sequenced them well so far this season.

"He just seems to mix speeds so well and keep hitters off balance," Butera said. "He's got so many different pitches, and he can command all of them. It helps being able to do all of that."

The Pirates' rotation features the reigning Cy Young winner Paul Skenes, promising right-hander Bubba Chandler and veteran Mitch Keller, who was off to a great start before Tuesday's rough outing. Keller took the 5-4 loss after he gave up five runs in four innings and threw a season-high 90 pitches.

Ashcraft also has put together elite results so far with a 1.00 WHIP and a .200 batting average against. He continues to make a remarkable transition from reliever to key member of the Pirates' rotation.

"The consistency of knowing when I'm going to throw, being on a set routine, has helped me put in some good work from start to start," Ashcraft said. "It helps develop the arsenal and being able to get better zones with pitches."

Ashcraft, who will make his first career start against the Nationals, allowed one run on four hits and struck out nine batters over five innings last Saturday against the Chicago Cubs.

Ashcraft didn't factor in the decision, but the Pirates prevailed 4-3 in 11 innings. His start followed an eight-strikeout performance over six innings against the Baltimore Orioles, an 8-2 win.

Ashcraft has allowed four hits in each of his three starts and four total runs in 17 innings.

"He did phenomenal," Pirates manager Don Kelly said after Ashcraft's most recent start. "Filled the zone up with a lot of different stuff. His fastball was electric, up to 98 [mph] at times. Was able to throw all of his pitches for strikes."

-Field Level Media/Reuters