Aaron Ashby reclaims unlikely MLB lead in polarizing statistic as All-Star case builds

Pitching wins used to be one of the key factors in Cy Young races, with the hurler who earned the most victories for their respective teams often earning strong consideration for the coveted honor. However, in recent years, pitching wins have come to mean less than they previously did, as advanced statistics that more accurately capture the value of a given pitcher continue to be introduced.

Perhaps the best indicator of the "meaninglessness" of pitching wins was the Cy Young campaign that then-New York Mets pitcher Jacob deGrom put together back in 2018. deGrom, who compiled 9.4 bWAR and a 1.70 ERA in 32 starts back in 2018, posted a pedestrian 10-9 record, in large part due to his team's offensive ineptitude. The flame-throwing right-hander was still voted the NL Cy Young, as his dominance on the mound was undeniable, but many fans who value pitching wins argued that deGrom didn't offer as much value to his team as, say, runner-up Max Scherzer, who racked up 18 wins during the season.

While Scherzer was dominant in his own right, there was no denying that deGrom was the best pitcher in the NL back in 2018, and, as a result, many fans started to change their view of the outdated statistic that is pitching wins. Especially for starting pitchers, who must complete five innings in order to even be in the running to earn a victory, pitching wins no longer carry the weight that they once did.

However, regardless of how the modern fan feels about pitching wins, which is understandably apathetic, there's no denying that what Milwaukee Brewers' relief pitcher Aaron Ashby has accomplished in 32 appearances out of the bullpen this season is uniquely impressive. Ashby, who once again earned a win in the Brewers' series opener against the Cleveland Guardians last night, now holds a 10-0 record on the season. His 10 wins are the most in MLB, and, according to Brewers' Director of Media Relations Mike Vassallo, are the most wins without a loss to start a season in franchise history.

Aaron Ashby's resume, which includes an MLB-leading 10 wins, is worthy of a spot in the 2026 All-Star Game

Ashby entered last night's game tied with Davis Martin of the Chicago White Sox and Gavin Williams of the Guardians for the MLB lead in pitching wins (9) -- an incredible feat for a relief pitcher. However, after entering the game in the seventh inning when the Brewers held a 1-0 lead, Ashby actually surrendered a rare earned run in his first inning of work, which tied the game at 1-1 and took starter Robert Gasser out of the running for the win. Thanks to a solo homer off the bat of Garrett Mitchell, the Brewers regained the lead in the bottom of the seventh, putting Ashby, who did return to start the eighth inning, in line for the win.

After shut-down performances from Abner Uribe and Trevor Megill, the Brewers took the win in the series opener, giving them their best record through 70 games in franchise history, and giving Ashby his 10th win of the season. Meanwhile, Martin took a rough loss to the New York Yankees last night, and Williams is scheduled to throw tonight for the Guardians, meaning, entering play on June 17, Aaron Ashby is the MLB leader in pitching wins.

While his improbable lead is certainly worth at least some recognition, as it means that Ashby is consistently pitching in high-leverage situations, it's only the beginning of a first-half resume that could land the Brewers' southpaw a spot in the Midsummer Classic. Ashby pairs his incredible 10 wins with a ridiculous 55 strikeouts -- second most among all National League relievers behind only San Diego Padres closer Mason Miller. Ashby's 2.86 ERA, which jumped up from 2.00 since the start of June after a rough outing in the hitters' paradise of Las Vegas Ballpark earlier this month, is certainly impressive as well.

It's incredibly difficult for a non-closing relief pitcher to earn a spot in the All-Star Game, but given Ashby's unique resume this season, his name should certainly be in consideration. The combination of a head-turning strikeout rate and an MLB-leading 10 wins should at least have Ashby's name in All-Star Game conversations as the midseason exhibition game draws nearer.

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