Aaron Ashby DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

The Milwaukee Brewers announced on Friday that they reinstated left-hander Aaron Ashby (oblique) from the 15-day injured list and optioned right-hander Carlos Rodriguez to Triple-A Nashville in a corresponding move. Ashby is finally ready to return to the big leagues after starting the 2025 regular season on the IL due to a strained right oblique. The 26-year-old southpaw has always had intriguing strikeout potential, but his inability to stay healthy has hindered his production and consistency for the Brewers. As such, he will return in a relief role for the Brew Crew for the time being, limiting any real fantasy potential for mixed-league managers. Ashby had a small sample size of four minor-league rehab appearances for Triple-A Nashville, posting a 1.50 ERA with four strikeouts and five walks over his six innings pitched.

Milwaukee Brewers left-hander Aaron Ashby (oblique) is currently on a minor-league rehab assignment with Triple-A Nashville and last pitched on Saturday. When Ashby is cleared to return from the 15-day injured list, he'll be ticketed for a long-relief role in the big-league bullpen, according to MLB.com. The 26-year-old southpaw has shown enticing strikeout upside, but injuries continue to set him back, so he'll be relegated to a bullpen role when he makes his 2025 debut. He was originally placed on the IL back on March 27 with a strained right oblique that he suffered in spring training in mid-March. In his four rehab outings (one start), Ashby has surrendered four earned runs on six hits while walking six and striking out five in 6 1/3 frames. He's expected to need a few more rehab appearances before potentially returning to the majors in late May or early June.

Milwaukee Brewers left-handed pitcher Aaron Ashby (oblique) is set to begin a rehab assignment in the Arizona Complex League on Tuesday. The southpaw has been sidelined since March due to this oblique strain. However, it appears the left-hander is set to take the next step in his recovery process. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his progress as he could return to Milwaukee in the coming weeks. Last season, the 26-year-old logged 28 1/3 innings of work in the major leagues and held a strong 2.86 ERA with a stellar 1.06 WHIP. He struck out 33 batters and served up walks at an 8.4 percent rate. He also generated a .202 xBA with an elite 60.5 percent ground-ball rate. While he spent most of his time in the bullpen last season, given the numerous injuries in the Milwaukee rotation, Ashby could find a role in the rotation later in the season.