Pirates vs Reds on Aug. 9, 2025: Rookie Braxton Ashcraft duels Nick Martinez as Pittsburgh hunts a series win at PNC Park; can the bats spark behind elite HR/9?
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
On a picture-perfect Saturday in the 412, the Pirates hand the ball to rookie Braxton Ashcraft (3-2, 3.24 ERA) for his second career start, looking to lock down a series over the Reds and keep a modest surge rolling. Cincinnati counters with right-hander Nick Martinez (9-9, 4.66). First pitch is set for 6:40 p.m. ET, and the formula is simple: pair Ashcraft’s home-run suppression with just enough offense.
“0.27 HR/9 — the lowest home run rate among MLB rookies.”
If you’re building a rookie profile tailor-made for PNC Park, Ashcraft fits. He’s allowed the fewest homers per nine among MLB rookies and has shown the poise to navigate traffic when he’s right. The rebound task is real—he’s been tagged for five runs over 4.1 innings across his first two August appearances—but the opportunity is there against a Reds lineup that can expand when pressed. Get early strikes, trust the outfield gaps, and make Cincinnati stack singles the hard way.
Even with a two-game win streak and seven wins in their last eleven, the Pirates’ bats remain the season’s pressure point: last in MLB in runs (417), home runs (83), slugging (.347), and OPS (.651). That magnifies every situational at-bat. Productive outs, first-pitch strikes to hit, and opportunistic baserunning matter even more on nights like this. The staff has kept them in games; the lineup needs to give them room to breathe.
Bryan Reynolds delivered the swing of Friday night with a two-run triple in the eighth—exactly the kind of star moment a thin offense needs. The team’s socials leaned into it with a pair of well-earned victory laps: “For the win 👏” and “W in the 412. #RaiseIt.” When Reynolds is driving gaps and seeing spin, everyone else settles in a little more. The Pirates are 7-4 over their last eleven because the margins have favored their best player late.
With the big-league lineup still scuffling, late-season help from Triple-A Indianapolis is on the table. Outfielder/first baseman Billy Cook (.248/.323/.384, 8 HR, 46 RBI, 13 SB in 94 games) is a name to watch, though he’s been sidelined since an HBP on August 3. Infielder Cam Devanney has posted a .380 OBP and .753 OPS in 17 games since the trade and could be in line for a debut if the club wants a disciplined at-bat profile. In the meantime, expect continued runway for Liover Peguero, Jared Triolo, and Jack Suwinski to either seize roles or force the front office’s hand.
Nick Martinez (9-9, 4.66 ERA) isn’t shy about attacking the zone, which means the Pirates should see pitches to handle early in counts. Given their power shortage, stacking competitive at-bats and traffic is the path—string two singles and a quality swing, and suddenly a crooked number is in play. Avoid the big chase inning and force Cincinnati to play catch-up against Pittsburgh’s bullpen.
Nothing new on the promotion front today, but the organization continues to track a top group that includes Konnor Griffin (SS/OF), Bubba Chandler (RHP), Hunter Barco (LHP), Termarr Johnson (2B/SS), and Thomas Harrington (RHP). As the calendar turns deeper into August, performance and health will dictate who, if anyone, gets a late look. For now, internal evaluation is the move—and there were no major transactions reported today.
Clear, warm, and loud—that’s the expectation with a series win in reach. First pitch is 6:40 p.m. ET, and the formula hasn’t changed: ride Ashcraft’s contact management, let Reynolds set the table for runs, and make the small plays that win tight games. Do that, and the city might be raising it again tonight.
Tonight is a checkpoint for a team trying to turn a modest run into a sustained charge. If Ashcraft keeps the ball in the park and the lineup squeezes enough out of its chances, the Pirates can pocket a series win and keep building relevance in August. If the bats stay muted, expect the call-up drumbeat from Indianapolis to grow louder as the week unfolds.
