Washington Nationals: Forgotten man Joe Ross is on his way back
By Blake Finney
Washington Nationals starter Joe Rss has been a bit of a forgotten man as he recovers from Tommy John surgery. But he’s now started his rehab assignment.
It’s been a long road back for Joe Ross, but the Washington Nationals pitcher is finally back in game action. With the rotation struggles the team has had, they’ve certainly missed the right-hander.
On Monday afternoon, Ross pitched for the Gulf Coast League Nationals, his first game since July of 2017. He went three innings without allowing a hit or run, walking two and striking out five.
While the competition is hardly anything challenging, the result is still promising. Now the aim will be to stretch himself back out to potentially contribute down the stretch.
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Whether he could return to the rotation or just as another arm out of the bullpen remains to be seen. However, given the Nationals history of proceeding with caution after TJ surgery, they may not want to push him into starting games.
If Gio Gonzalez continues to struggle at that point, and the Nats are still in the playoff hunt, they may not have a choice. If he does step up, he should be capable.
Remember, in parts of three seasons with the Nationals, Ross is 17-13 with a 3.95 ERA and a FIP of 3.90. He was a budding rotation member, who looked perfect for the number three spot long-term.
That’s likely where he fits in down the road, with Gonzalez and Jeremy Hellickson pending free agents. That’s why it’s key not to rush him back if it can at all be helped in September.
The next steps in his rehab assignment are yet to be confirmed, but you would expect another outing or two for the GCL Nationals. Then he may move upwards in the system quickly as he stretches his arm out to a normal starter’s workload.
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While it may be unlikely that Joe Ross starts a game for the Washington Nationals in 2018, he’ll be a big part of their plans moving forward. He just needs to stay healthy the rest of the way this year.