During last offseason, Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Graham Ashcraft called assistant pitching coach Eric Jagers and asked him, “What can we add?”
Ashcraft was hoping to make his big league debut in 2022, and that question to Jagers was the start of a process that ended with Ashcraft developing a sinker. When he made his MLB debut in May, Ashcraft threw his sinker more than any other pitch.
On Saturday, the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Reds, 7-3. Ashcraft barely threw his sinker as he allowed six runs and took his first loss in MLB.
"We might have to start getting back to the type of pitcher that I am," Ashcraft said.