Joe Ross provides the Phillies with a high-upside bullpen arm, but the veteran comes with alarming red flags with pitching in the NL East.
The Philadelphia Phillies added another piece to their bullpen, signing veteran Joe Ross to a one-year deal. The Phillies have been active in the pitching market, signing former Toronto Blue Jays closer Jordan Romano to a one-year deal earlier in free agency and trading for former Miami Marlins starter Jesús Luzardo.
Ross provides the Phillies with not only bullpen value, but the right-hander also has starting pitching potential. He has 86 starts in 123 games throughout his seven-year major league career.
Ross has been a solid pitcher since he debuted with the Washington Nationals in 2015. The former first-round pick has a 29-34 record with a 4.19 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and 469 strikeouts in 517 1/3 career innings pitched.
Ross spent the first six years of his career in the NL East with the Nationals, making 76 starts in 98 games. He opted out of the shortened 2020 Covid-19 season. The veteran missed the 2022 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery and pitched in the minor leagues in 2023.
The 31-year-old joined the Milwaukee Brewers in 2024, making his first 10 appearances as a starter. He was 2-5 with a 4.98 ERA and 39 strikeouts in 47 innings pitched. Ross was moved to the bullpen where he posted a 1.67 ERA with 27 strikeouts in 15 appearances to finish out the season. He pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings during the Brewers’ short-lived postseason run.