Graham Ashcraft Injury Update - Cincinnati Reds pitcher gearing up for season-ending toe surgery 

On Saturday, the Cincinnati Reds announced pitcher Graham Ashcraft would be shut down for the remainder of the season. He will undergo season-ending surgery on Tuesday.

Ashcraft last pitched on Sept. 1. He has dealt with a stress reaction in his right big toe and will have his eyes set on returning next season fully healthy.

Ashcraft battled this season. He started in 26 games for Cincinnati, compiling a 7-9 record with a 4.76 ERA on 145.2 innings of work. He had a career-high 111 strikeouts, which is impressive for someone not known as a strikeout pitcher.

This injury leaves the Reds shorthanded to finish out the regular season. Hunter Greene will face immense pressure to get the job done during his starts. The rest of the rotation includes Andrew Abbott, Ben Lively, Carson Spiers, Levi Stoudt and Brandon Williamson. Only one pitcher is above the age of 26.

The news surrounding Graham Ashcraft does not help the Cincinnati Reds

Miami Marlins v Cincinnati Reds

The Cincinnati Reds are in the thick of things, trying to secure a National League Wild Card spot. They are tied with the Miami Marlins and Arizona Diamondbacks for control of the final Wild Card spot.

Their work is cut out for themselves without Graham Ashcraft in the rotation. They must play their best baseball to close out the regular season if they want to make the postseason.

Cincinnati finishes a series with the New York Mets over the weekend before taking on the Minnesota Twins. After that, they take on the Pittsburgh Pirates, Cleveland Guardians, and St. Louis Cardinals. Only one of these teams has a winning record, so the Reds must take advantage of this.

The Reds are in control of their destiny. It will be interesting to see if they can finish the season strong and make the playoffs.