Graham Ashcraft Near Ready Alexis Diaz Makes First Appearance

 

 

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Dateline: 318 kilometers from the Gulf of Mexico

Graham Ashcraft is taking advantage of Andrew Abbott’s slow return to the mound. While Ashcraft made his fourth appearance in the Cactus League, Abbott will take the mound for the first time this week.

Alexis Diaz made his first appearance against the Los Angeles Angels in a 4-1 loss. Diaz tweaked his thigh during pitcher’s fielding practice (PFP). The Reds cautiously made sure he was healed. They didn’t want Diaz to alter his motion.

Ashcraft gave up back-to-back doubles to Taylor Ward and Logan O’Hoppe to start the game but just one other hit in his four-inning stint. He pitched four innings, allowing one run on three hits and a walk. He struck out five and retired 12 of the next 14 hitters.

“I had to go to the bullpen to finish up. I threw 10 extra,” Ashcraft said. “I felt really good getting the four up downs. My body feels good. My arm feels good. Everything feels ready. We were trying to get up to 75 pitches. I feel like one more getting up to about 80 pitches and five innings will kind of set the tone to get ready.”

He will have maybe two more outings before spring is over.

“I’m right there,” Ashcraft said.

Francona added to it.

“The first two hitters of the game were like two line drives and then he settled in,” Francona said. “He used his change up really well by far the most he’s thrown the change up. Because of that he was more efficient. Any time you see a guy go to the bullpen to throw more pitches, that means it’s pretty good.”

Diaz pitched one scoreless inning giving up a hit and a walk.

“He was having a little trouble with the fastball command but his breaking ball  was pretty good,” Francona said. “It was really good to see him out there and be healthy.”

“I felt super. I felt like I’ve never felt before,” Diaz said. “The first time I wanted to feel 100 % great. I feel like I’ll be ready to go when opening day comes.”

The Reds sent fireballing Luis Mey, who threw a couple pitches over 100 MPH against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday March 8, to the minor league camp to get some work. 

Cam Collier, the Reds’ youngest prospect will have surgery on Thursday, March 13 to repair his left thumb, injured on a tag play at first base on a pickoff attempt. The surgery will repair the UCL in his thumb.

“It will be 4-to-6 weeks before he can start hitting, so it’s not like a lost year,” Francona said.

Although he won’t be in a Cactus League game in the next week the Reds received a good report on Spencer Steer’s aching right shoulder.

“Steer was examined by the doctors yesterday and they were really pleased,” Francona said. “Middle week Thursday ish he will start his bat progression off a tee. They want to spend a few more days on his range of motion and strength. He’s making marked improvement which is really good.”

Can he be ready for opening day?

“In fairness and respect to him, I told him the other day, that I know, he’s chomping at the bit but we’re going to do this right,” Francona said. “We don’t want you to go for 10 days now, then bring you back two days too soon and undo what you did.”

“I think we did it right with Abbott,” Francona said. “How stretched out he is, we don’t know yet. I think come August or September, we’ll be glad we did it.”

Hitting:

The Reds had five hits and didn’t get the first one until Sal Stewart singled in the fifth. Stewart added a double in the seventh. Noelvi Marte tripled in his lone at bat and scored on Austin Wynns’ sacrifice fly.