Aaron Ashby DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Milwaukee Brewers left-handed pitcher Aaron Ashby (oblique) is set to throw a bullpen on April 11. Ashby has been sidelined due to an oblique injury he suffered in early March. The southpaw was in contention to make the starting rotation, but this injury kept him out of the competition. However, if he is able to progress well, he could compete for a starting role when he returns to action. Last season, Ashby appeared in 14 games (two starts) and logged 28 1/3 innings of work with a 2.86 ERA and a strong 1.06 WHIP. He tallied 33 punchouts and held an 8.4 percent walk rate. Ashby also generated a stellar .203 xBA. The 26-year-old missed the entire 2023 season after undergoing shoulder surgery but has flashed high-strikeout upside when on the bump. He is worth monitoring in deeper formats as he could be worth deploying if he rejoins the starting rotation.

Milwaukee Brewers left-hander Aaron Ashby (oblique) said the second opinion of his right-oblique strain was better than the first. However, he'll still be shut down for roughly two weeks before resuming throwing. Ashby still expects to be built up as a starter, but he obviously won't be ready for the start of the 2025 regular season and could miss at least the first month of the season, if not more. It doesn't guarantee that the 26-year-old southpaw will jump back into the Brewers' starting rotation once he's ready to make his season debut, and a bullpen role shouldn't be ruled out, especially given all the health setbacks in his career. Ashby missed all of 2023 due to left-shoulder surgery and struggled for most of last year at Triple-A Nashville. There's no denying his strikeout upside, but between his injuries and inconsistency, fantasy managers in deeper leagues are better off looking elsewhere.

Milwaukee Brewers left-hander Aaron Ashby (oblique) left his Cactus League outing in the second inning on Monday against the division-rival Cincinnati Reds due to an oblique strain, according to manager Pat Murphy. The early sense is that it won't be a months-long absence, but that won't be confirmed until Ashby has imaging done on Tuesday. Before leaving on Monday, the 26-year-old southpaw was having issues with his command (two walks). Even if this doesn't end up being a serious oblique injury, Ashby will more than likely open the 2025 season on the injured list. He also missed all of 2023 with a shoulder surgery, so he's no stranger to the injury bug. Ashby has always been intriguing for his strikeout upside, but he has an inconsistent track record and hasn't been able to stay healthy for long stretches. Veteran lefty Jose Quintana, who was signed on Monday, could take Ashby's rotation spot to begin the year.