Brewers' starting-pitching group gets a little deeper with signing of veteran Joe Ross
Always seeking to add more potential starting-pitching depth, the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday did just that by signing veteran right-hander Joe Ross to a one-year contract worth a reported $1.75 million.
Ross, who turns 31 on May 21, is something of a reclamation project, having undergone his second Tommy John surgery in June 2022 and having not pitched in a major-league game since Aug. 10, 2021.
He did pitch 14 innings over eight appearances in the minor leagues with the San Francisco Giants last season, including three September outings with Class AAA Sacramento.
A first-round pick of the San Diego Padres in 2011, Ross went 26-28 with a 4.26 earned run average and WHIP of 1.33 in 98 appearances and 76 starts with the Washington Nationals from 2015-2021.
Ross is a heavy sinker-slider pitcher who was in the midst of his best season when he was injured in 2021, having made a career-high-tying 19 starts while setting personal highs with 109 strikeouts in 108 innings.
He underwent his first Tommy John procedure in 2017.
Ross will join a pool of rotation candidates that includes holdovers Corbin Burnes, Freddy Peralta, Wade Miley, Adrian Houser and Colin Rea.
Aaron Ashby, still working his way back from April 2023 shoulder surgery, will also be in the picture if he's healthy, along with minor-league prospects Robert Gasser, Carlos Rodríguez and, potentially, Jacob Misiorowski.
The Brewers also announced the signing of left-hander Rob Zastryzny to a minor-league contract with an invitation to major-league camp.
A 2013 second-round pick of the Chicago Cubs, Zastryzny has appeared in 45 games for four teams in the majors since 2016. He turns 32 on March 26.
He set career highs with 21 appearances and 20 ⅔ innings for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2023, going 1-0 with a 4.79 ERA and WHIP of 1.79.
Milwaukee has 38 players on its 40-man roster.
Brewers add to their coaching staff
Last week, Milwaukee announced it had named longtime assistant director of player development Charlie Greene to the major-league coaching staff as bullpen coach.
On Tuesday, Daniel de Mondesert was promoted from bullpen catcher to major-league assistant coach, with Christian Correa replacing de Mondesert.
The Brewers' coaching staff now stands at 12 members.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee Brewers sign veteran right-hander Joe Ross to one-year deal
