The Texas Rangers have added another experienced arm to their organizational depth by signing veteran pitcher Joe Ross to a minor league contract following his recent release from the Arizona Diamondbacks. The move gives Texas another bullpen option as the club continues evaluating pitching depth throughout the season.
According to reports from the Dallas Morning News, the Rangers reached an agreement with Ross shortly after Arizona decided to part ways with the right-hander. Ross now gets another opportunity to continue his major league career with an organization looking for experienced pitching help.
The 33-year-old pitcher is best known for his time with the Washington Nationals, where he played a role during the franchise’s memorable 2019 World Series championship season. Although Ross was once viewed as a promising starter with strong upside, injuries repeatedly interrupted his development and prevented him from fully establishing himself as a long-term rotation piece in the majors.
Ross originally debuted in Major League Baseball in 2015 with Washington and quickly showed flashes of potential. Early in his career, many evaluators believed he had the tools to become a dependable starter thanks to his strong fastball-slider combination and ability to generate swings and misses. However, recurring health issues consistently slowed his progress. Similar to his older brother, former MLB pitcher Tyson Ross, Joe Ross struggled to maintain momentum because of injuries that kept him from building consistency over multiple seasons.
Despite the setbacks, Ross has continued working to extend his professional career. His brief stint with Arizona earlier this season marked his ninth partial season in the majors, and he is now approaching eight full years of MLB service time. While he has bounced around several organizations in recent years, teams continue to see value in his experience and veteran presence.
Before being released by the Diamondbacks, Ross spent time pitching for Triple-A Reno. During that stretch, he posted a 4.29 ERA over 21 innings. He also recorded a strikeout rate of 14%, a number that reflects some of the challenges he has faced trying to regain the dominant form he occasionally displayed earlier in his career. Even so, the Rangers appear willing to take a low-risk chance on the veteran in hopes that he can provide useful depth later in the season.
At this stage, Ross is likely to continue receiving minor league opportunities rather than guaranteed major league contracts. Players in similar situations often aim to prove themselves in Triple-A while waiting for injuries, roster moves, or bullpen struggles at the big league level to open the door for another call-up. For Texas, adding Ross creates additional insurance within the organization without requiring a major financial commitment.
If Ross eventually reaches the majors with the Rangers, Texas would become the fifth MLB organization of his career since his debut a decade ago. The Rangers are hoping the experienced right-hander can rediscover enough effectiveness to help provide stability either as a bullpen contributor or emergency pitching option later in the year.
For now, Ross will likely begin his time in the organization in the minors, where he will attempt to work his way back toward another major league opportunity with the reigning World Series contenders from Texas.
Leave a Reply