Ashcraft Eyes Cy Young Potential as He Faces Detroit Tonight
Pittsburgh's Braxton Ashcraft faces Detroit's Keider Montero in a key, likely low-scoring clash. Both starting pitchers have been in top form as of late.
Video Transcript
But I did also put in, when does Ashcraft pitch again?
Because- Yeah, he's been too- you were a very big fan of what he did.
Is this tonight?
And well, the answer is tonight.
He is playing- Okay tonight, pitching against Detroit- I like him and Montero, who's also- Flip it, flip it been very good.
He's good too.
So now you're going, now you're going Pittsburgh tonight.
I, I'm not, I'm not saying it's like yesterday.
Yesterday, I was like, "Oh my gosh, I just saw this guy pitch.
I have..." I, I couldn't believe how disinterested this guy looked pitching.
It was so weird.
Joe, he, we It was, it was When you watch a pitcher that's turning around to throw to second base and literally, like, the shortstop like- Right putting his hands up in the air like, "I'm not even there," I, I don't know, man.
Like, what are you doing?
I, I, yeah.
I, I wonder- Some weird stuff is going on with that guy.
But, yeah, yeah, the thing, the problem is Montero on the other side is a really good pitcher too.
So I would- I would lean toward a lack of runs in this game tonight.
I know, I think yesterday, in that game in particular, went way over, if I'm not mistaken.
But tonight- Yeah I think it could be, not, not as much scoring tonight.
Ashcraft, to me, is a hidden gem in the National League.
I know a lot of people know who he is, and he's had a good year.
Look, his ERA, I think, is probably just under four.
Going into next season, I will absolutely be identifying him as a potential Cy Young Award winner.
I really think- Yep he's got that kind of stuff.
He, I, I, I think he's gonna pitch well against Detroit tonight.
He is getting stronger as the season goes on.
And with all the talk about Skeens, and even Jared Jones, and Mitch Keller, to me, this guy is gonna be, you know, close to Skeens, man.
Like, he, he's really good.
So, I, I, I'm looking forward to this start, but not gonna say it's a guarantee or my favorite or anything, 'cause Guider Montero, as you said, like this is This guy stepped into the rotation and done a great job.
A- and he's never gonna get enough credit for what he has done to even put this Tigers team, into this position.
'Cause for a while, when they had Skubal and they had Biles, he was at the spot guy.
He'd come in out of the bullpen.
Mm-hmm.
They'd send him down, they'd bring him back up, and he has been absolutely phenomenal to them.
Last time out in, against Cleveland, in fact, six and a third shutout innings, uh- Mm-hmm three-nothing, they ended up winning that.
Yep.
And this, there's a lot of juice in this series given the fact that they got 37 games to play, and Detroit is now tied with, you know, with Texas and Baltimore for that- Crazy final wildcard spot.
I would never I did not have it on my bingo card.
I thought for sure once the, the sell was on at the trade deadline that we would just stick a fork in the Tigers, but we have not.
A- and you mentioned this rookie that they have up there absolutely raking.
They have got, all of a sudden, they got a shot here.
Why not, them?
I- in fact, Melton has been good, Montero but- He's good too, yeah.
I- they have got, Connor Griffin, by the way, I sa- is also set to return for Pittsburgh.
Yeah.
And I believe O'Neal Cruz, we thought last night he might be back.
I think he- It lo- it's tonight.
Yeah.
I think he's- I think he'll be, there.
He's gonna be in there I think he's on, I think he's activated tonight, I think, if I'm, if I'm not mistaken.
So he went through his pre-game.
You know, it, the, the, the Tigers remind me a little bit of the Jays.
You know, the Jays got Jose Soriano.
We were like, "What in the world was that for?"
And now all of a sudden, Soriano is shoving for Toronto and all, and they're back in the race too.
So- Yep yeah.
I, I don't believe in, in Toronto in particular, and as you can see, the Twins are now falling to the bottom there.
But I, I do think including Toronto, who I don't think is gonna make it, but including Toronto, every single one of those teams has a shot to make the playoffs, Joe.
And we are in August a- and heading to September.
That is wacky.
That is wacky.
Like, if I mean, think about Philly or Miami or San Diego in the American League.
We'd be saying they've clinched.
You know?
We'd be saying like- Yes "Yep, they're right with Boston.
You know, they're right with New York."
But the NL is just, far superior this season.
