Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Braxton Ashcraft is set to take the mound Thursday against the St. Louis Cardinals, aiming to extend his impressive recent run.
The game is scheduled for May 21, 2026, at Busch Stadium.
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Ashcraft has completed at least 6.2 innings in three consecutive starts and in four of his last five outings, showcasing strong efficiency on the road this season.
Cardinals Offense Struggling
The St. Louis lineup has struggled over the past two weeks, posting a bottom-five isolated power of . 121 and a bottom-10 weighted on-base average of .
303.
During this stretch, the Cardinals also recorded the seventh-lowest walk rate at 7.3 percent and the sixth-lowest strikeout rate at 19.2 percent, which helps keep opposing pitch counts low.
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These numbers suggest Ashcraft could work deep into the game against a slumping offense.
Meanwhile, Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Dustin May is preparing for his own matchup after recording a 2.83 ERA across his last seven starts, despite control issues.
May has walked multiple batters in four straight starts, including a late April game against Pittsburgh, bringing his recent walk rate to 10.1 percent.
The Pittsburgh lineup holds the league's best on-base percentage and the sixth-highest walk rate against right-handed pitchers in 2026, posing a challenge for May, who yields a .
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397 weighted on-base average to left-handed hitters.
