Graham Ashcraft wins arbitration case, Reds to pay $1,750,000

Two players from the Cincinnati Reds were unable to come to an agreement with the club on a 2026 contract who were arbitration eligible. Pitcher Graham Ashcraft and catcher Tyler Stephenson both opted to have an arbitration hearing and let that determine their salary. Stephenson’s case will be heard on Monday, but Ashcraft had his today and as Jeff Passan of ESPN reported it was the player who picked up the win.

Ashcraft submitted an offer of $1,750,000 while the Reds came in with an offer of $1,250,000. Arbitration works like this: Each side presents an offer and then they make their argument as to why the player is “worth” that dollar amount. The numbers and stats that can be used are not anything fancy or really all that advanced. But the cases are made and only one of those two offers wins. The number must be one or the other.

Ashcraft gets a bump in pay in his first year of arbitration, going from the league minimum of $750,000 to a cool million more than that. The reliever pitched in 62 games for Cincinnati last season and had a 3.99 ERA while striking out 64 batters and giving up just two home runs. It was his first season in the bullpen after making 60 starts in the previous three years.

Ben Rortvedt to the Dodgers

When the Cincinnati Reds signed Eugenio Suarez they needed a spot for him on the 40-man roster. That roster was full, which led to them designated catcher Ben Rortvedt for assignment to clear the spot for Suarez.

The Reds hope was that given his contract – he’s owed $1,250,000 for 2026 – that he would clear waivers and they could send him to the minor leagues. That’s how they wound up with him in the first place, after all. He wound up being claimed by Cincinnati in November when the Los Angeles Dodgers designated him for assignment. Fast forward nearly three months and Rortvedt is heading back to the Dodgers as they claimed him on waivers this time. One has to wonder if Rortvedt ever even put on a Cincinnati Reds hat.

The move left Cincinnati with two catchers on the 40-man roster in Tyler Stephenson and Jose Trevino. But losing Rortvedt from the organization does cost the Reds valuable depth at the position. Rortvedt isn’t exactly known for his bat – he hit .152/.240/205 in 112 at-bats in 2025 and has a career .549 OPS in 559 at-bats. He is known for his defense, though. He’s considered one of the better 3rd string catchers in the game.