Pirates' Braxton Ashcraft: Could be called up Monday

Ashcraft is expected to join the Pirates' taxi squad in Arizona and could be recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis ahead of Monday's series opener versus the Diamondbacks, Alex Stumpf of MLB.com reports.

The right-hander has made 10 starts with Triple-A Indianapolis this season, posting a 4.84 ERA and 1.50 WHIP with 56 strikeouts over 48.1 innings. The Pirates don't appear to have a starting spot available for Ashcraft at the moment, though it's possible that the team transitions into a six-man rotation to make room for the 25-year-old. Ashcraft could also be an option to work in long relief.