The Cincinnati Reds made a set of roster moves prior to the game this afternoon. Fernando Cruz was placed on the 15-day injured list with a right shoulder strain. This move is retroactive to Friday. The team also activated starting pitcher Graham Ashcraft from the bereavement list.
After having a great story in 2022, reaching the big leagues for the first time as a 32-year-old reliever after being selected as a shortstop in the 2007 draft, Fernando Cruz has had some struggles in 2023. His ERA currently sits at 6.59. He’s allowed at least one run in his last five appearances, and he’s only had three run-free outings out of his 10 this season. Control has been a problem for him this season as he’s walked eight batters in 13.2 innings to go along with his 20 strikeouts.
For Fernando Cruz, his velocity is down this season compared to last year. In his 2022 season with the Reds, which lasted a month, he averaged 94.5 MPH on his fastball. This season he’s averaged just 93.9 MPH. That’s not a huge difference, but it’s worth noting, too. His velocity was also down a little bit in March when he was pitching for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic.
Graham Ashcraft returns
Following his start on Wednesday against Texas, Graham Ashcraft was moved to the bereavement list. His grandmother passed away earlier in the week and he dedicated his start to her. He allowed two runs in 6.0 innings with the Rangers – his grandmother’s favorite team – scoring two runs in the game that the Reds won 5-3 on Nick Senzel’s walk-off home run.
The bereavement list has a limit of three days, and with those three days up, Graham Ashcraft has been activated and is back on the roster for the Reds. He is set to make his next start on Tuesday night against the San Diego Padres in the second game of the road series.
Hopefully Cruz will get it straightened out and be back soon. In the meantime Louisville could use some pitching giving up 18 runs twice recently.
Louisville? Yeah, their pitching stinks on ice.
It would be nice if at least at one level, the Red’s minor league affiliates were actually a good team. Show us that great farm system, Nick.
The Chattanooga Lookouts have a winning record, but they just promoted their best pitcher to AAA, and the team, on the whole, is not hitting.
Yeah. I personally don’t believe losing helps the development of these guys. Learning how to win is not just a button that you push to start.
The poor Bats are getting the crap beat out of them again today losing 13-0 in the sixth. Cold windy day there.
This explains Fernando Cruz having some problems his last few games which is not part of his past performance at all last season. A strain should heal over time and he can come back and be awesome again.