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Pittsburgh Pirates Replace All-Star Pitcher Braxton Ashcraft with Antwone Kelly After Injury
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- Pittsburgh Pirates Replace All-Star Pitcher Braxton Ashcraft with Antwone Kelly After Injury
The Pittsburgh Pirates placed Braxton Ashcraft on the 15-day injured list Thursday because of right arm discomfort and recalled right-hander Antwone Kelly from Triple-A Indianapolis.
The move comes after Ashcraft experienced discomfort following his Sept. 5 start against the Los Angeles Angels . The right-hander was pulled after 67 pitches in that outing.
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Ashcraft has been one of Pittsburgh's most important starters this season, making the injury a significant setback for a team trying to stay within reach of the postseason race.
The 22-year-old has made 28 starts in 2026, going 14-6 with a 3.65 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 173 strikeouts across 165.1 innings. He also earned his first career All-Star selection in July.
Ashcraft was particularly effective in August, posting a 2.13 ERA across six starts. His absence leaves Pittsburgh without one of its most reliable starters during the final weeks of the regular season.
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Kelly will return to the major league roster after spending most of the season with Indianapolis. He has made 23 appearances, including 17 starts, in Triple-A and has a 4.93 ERA.
The 26-year-old has also made limited major league appearances this season, allowing five earned runs over 8.1 innings. Pittsburgh will now have to determine how to cover the innings vacated by Ashcraft.
Pittsburgh Pirates manager Don Kelly (12) Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
The Pirates entered Thursday at 74-73 and in third place in the NL Central. They remain in the postseason picture but face an uphill battle with the regular season entering its final weeks.
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With Ashcraft sidelined, Pittsburgh will need contributions from its remaining rotation and bullpen. The Pirates have played well recently, but replacing their All-Star starter will make the path to a late-season push considerably more difficult.
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This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Sep 11, 2026, where it first appeared in the MLB section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
