Philadelphia Phillies Agree to Deal With Swingman Pitcher Joe Ross

The Philadelphia Phillies have added more depth to their pitching unit by agreeing to a deal with Joe Ross.

Jul 30, 2024; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Joe Ross (41) delivers a pitch against the Atlanta Braves in the first inning at American Family Field / Michael McLoone-Imagn Images

While the fans might not be happy about it, the reality is the Philadelphia Phillies are likely to operate on the fringes for the remainder of the winter.

That has everything to do with how much money they have already spent to date, and how much is on their books for the foreseeable future based on the size of contracts they've previously handed out.

Because of that, this offseason has been much quieter than everyone was expecting.

Dreams of Juan Soto and another difference maker has turned into additions of Jordan Romano, Max Kepler and a trade for Jesus Luzardo.

All three players have been elite an one points in their careers, and that is what the Phillies are banking on when the trio puts on their new uniform this year.

Even after the acquisition of Luzardo, Philadelphia still has some holes in their pitching staff because Jeff Hoffman and Carlos Estevez are still on the open market as free agents.

With the expectation being both will depart, the Phillies were able to bring in another reliever to their midst.

Per Matt Gelb of The Athletic, they have agreed to a one-year deal with swingman pitcher Joe Ross. He did not disclose the financial compensation.

The right-hander spent last season with the Milwaukee Brewers, the first time he appeared in the MLB since 2021 after he underwent Tommy John surgery and spent the entire 2023 campaign in the minors.

For his career, Ross has pitched in 123 games and has started 86 of them, posting an ERA of 4.19 across 517 1/3 innings.

Philadelphia fans might recognize the name from his time with the Washington Nationals, the club he won the World Series with in 2019 as the swingman pitcher for that team.

One major issue for the Phillies last season was not having a player of his ilk to come in for long relief innings or to make a spot start.

Ross operated in that role with the Brewers this past campaign, recording an ERA of 3.77 and ERA+ of 111 in 10 starts and 15 appearances out of the bullpen.

As a former No. 25 overall pick in the 2011 draft, his pedigree suggests he could be an impactful arm in Philadelphia. He seemed to turn the corner following his elbow surgery, and at just 31 years old, there could be enough in the tank for him to contribute in a meaningful way.