Tyson Ross

Padres Reportedly Agree To Minors Pact With Tyson Ross

By Jeff Todd | January 3, 2018 at 1:56pm CDT

JAN. 3: Ross’s base salary would be $1.75MM, Jon Heyman of Fan Rag tweets. He can earn up to $4.25MM in incentives, per the report, and has opt-out dates on May 15th and June 15th. Unsurprisingly, the deal includes a spring invite.

Regarding the incentives, Ross will need to hold down a rotation spot for virtually the entire season to max them out. Beginning with his fifth game started, he’d receive $150K; upon starting his twentieth outing (and ending at his 29th), Ross can earn $200K per start.

DEC. 29, 8:55pm: Ross would earn between $1MM and $2MM in base salary if he makes the club, tweets Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune (via Twitter), with additional incentives available based upon the number of games he starts.

5:24pm: The Padres have agreed to terms on a minor-league deal with righty Tyson Ross, according to SB Nation’s Chris Cotillo (via Twitter). Presumably, he’ll receive an invitation to MLB Spring Training.

Ross, 30, found success in his prior tenure with the Padres, compiling 522 innings of 3.16 ERA ball over four seasons. But he was non-tendered after missing virtually all of the 2016 campaign and eventually required thoracic outlet surgery.

While the hope was that Ross could bounce back after signing a one-year deal with the Rangers, he struggled badly in the 2017 season after a long rehab process. He averaged just 92 mph on his four-seam fastball — two or more clicks below his typical rate — and limped to a 7.71 ERA in 49 innings. Ross walked 37 batters while generating only 36 strikeouts and sported a meager 6.2% swinging-strike rate that was only about half of his typical level in San Diego.

Should the Padres find a way to get Ross back on track, he could conceivably represent quite a value. But there clearly wasn’t a great deal of optimism around the game, given that Ross had to settle for a non-roster accord just two years removed from a string of successful campaigns.

The Friars have had some success of late at finding rotation innings at bargain rates. If Ross is to crack the roster, though, he’ll have to earn his way on in camp. Presumably, he’ll compete with pitchers such as the just-acquired Bryan Mitchell and injury returnees Robbie Erlin, Colin Rea, and Matt Strahm.

Rangers Release Tyson Ross

By Steve Adams | September 12, 2017 at 3:15pm CDT

The Rangers announced Tuesday that they’ve released right-hander Tyson Ross in order to clear a spot on the roster for Willie Calhoun, whose previously reported promotion to the Majors has now been formally announced. The Rangers also activated Adrian Beltre from the 10-day DL, though Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News tweets that he’s not yet ready to play. Calhoun is in the Rangers lineup tonight, playing left field and batting seventh in his MLB debut.

Ross, 30, was non-tendered by the Padres last offseason after shoulder troubles limited him to just one appearance in 2016. The right-hander spent much of the season attempting to rehab but was unable to get back to a big league mound after experiencing multiple setbacks. Ultimately, Ross was found to have the difficult-to-diagnosis thoracic outlet syndrome; he ultimately underwent surgery to alleviate the issue in October.

Texas signed both Ross and Andrew Cashner to one-year deals this past offseason, hoping that the pair of former Padres teammates could eventually solidify the final two spots in a contending rotation behind the likes of Yu Darvish, Cole Hamels and Martin Perez. Ross made his way back to the Majors early in the summer, right around the team’s projected timeline, but he’s looked like a shell of his former self through 49 innings in a Rangers uniform. In that time, Ross has more walks (37) than strikeouts (36), which has been the primary reason for his unsightly 7.71 earned run average.

The struggles of Ross and injuries elsewhere on the roster led the Texas front office to make the difficult decision to trade Darvish with just seconds to go as the non-waiver trade deadline loomed on July 31. That trade netted the Rangers Calhoun (in addition to minor leaguers A.J. Alexy and Brendon Davis), and Calhoun will now join a team that has somewhat improbably hung around the Wild Card race after trading away its ace back on July 31.

Rangers Move Tyson Ross To Bullpen

By Jeff Todd | August 24, 2017 at 7:42pm CDT

The Rangers will move righty Tyson Ross into the bullpen, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News tweets. Nick Martinez will take his spot in the rotation.

Texas inked the 30-year-old Ross to a one-year, $6MM pact last winter after he was non-tendered by the Padres. The hope was that he and fellow former San Diego rotation mate Andrew Cashner would bounce back and help form a quality starting five.

Though Cashner has overcome middling peripherals to provide 125 2/3 innings of 3.44 ERA ball, Ross has faltered. In ten starts since fully rehabbing from thoracic outlet surgery, he owns a 7.04 ERA with 35 strikeouts against 36 walks over just 46 frames.

Ross’s struggles have been rather all-encompassing. He is averaging just 91.7 mph on his fastball after sitting around 94 for most of his career. Ross is generating swings and misses on just 6.2% of his pitches — nearly half his rate from the prior four seasons. And he has permitted more home runs and generated fewer groundballs than ever.

With Texas still hanging in the AL Wild Card picture, the club will hope that Martinez can provide a boost. He, too, has struggled this year in the majors, carrying a 5.38 ERA with 2.24 homers per nine innings over his 80 1/3 frames thus far. He is sporting a 2.15 ERA at Triple-A, though that’s over a shorter sample and comes in spite of a less-than-inspiring combination of 5.5 K/9, 1.7 BB/9, and a 43.1% groundball rate.

Looking ahead a bit, Martinez will also aim to firm up his chances of taking a rotation spot entering 2018. Texas faces quite a few questions on its staff, with Cashner and Ross set to hit the open market and Yu Darvish already pitching with the Dodgers after being traded this summer. Martinez will join Martin Perez, A.J. Griffin, and Austin Bibens-Dirkx as potential options along with Cole Hamels, but that group doesn’t inspire much confidence at all based upon recent results.

Rangers Designate Dillon Gee, Activate Tyson Ross, Option Jurickson Profar

By Jeff Todd | June 16, 2017 at 3:32pm CDT

The Rangers announced that righty Dillon Gee was designated for assignment. The move was made to open a roster spot for Tyson Ross, who has been activated off of the 60-day DL to make his debut for the club.

Texas has announced a withering array of other moves as well. Former top prospect Jurickson Profar was optioned to Triple-A along with fellow utility option Ryan Rua, while righty Tony Barnette hit the DL with a sprained right ring finger. Those moves cleared space for the activation of Carlos Gomez and Mike Napoli, as well as the recall of southpaw Dario Alvarez.

Gee, 31, has helped Texas bridge the gap to Ross, who was signed after undergoing thoracic outlet surgery. The Rangers got 13 frames of 4.15 ERA pitching from Gee, though he didn’t inspire much confidence while on the hill. Gee allowed 17 hits and six walks while recording ten strikeouts during his stint.

Hopes are high for Ross, who was once a top-quality starter for the Padres. He’ll take the MLB mound for the first time since Opening Day of 2016, looking to make good on the $6MM commitment he received over the winter from the Rangers while also trying to set himself up for another foray into free agency.

Ross’s rehab had been slowed by lower-back tightness, which extended his DL stint past what had originally been anticipated. He also wasn’t very successful in four outings at Triple-A Round Rock, coughing up 16 earned runs on 23 hits with as many walks (11) as strikeouts through 18 2/3 innings.

Otherwise, the day’s maneuvering is most notable for the 24-year-old Profar. The former top prospect has struggled mightily this year, slashing an anemic .137/.279/.137 in 62 plate appearances. While his defensive versatility remains appealing, the ongoing failures at the plate have significantly clouded Profar’s future in Texas.

Injury Notes: Shields, Walker, Harvey, Johnson, Zobrist, Skaggs, Hamels, Cosart, Urias

By Jeff Todd | June 14, 2017 at 11:02pm CDT

The White Sox will activate righty James Shields to make a start on Sunday, as JJ Stankevitz of CSN Chicago reports (Twitter links). That’ll leave plenty of time for the veteran to show not only that he’s back from a lat strain, but also that he still has some gas left in the tank. Shields, 35, turned in three solid starts to open the year after a terrible 2016 season. Possible trade suitors will be looking to see whether he can manage extended productivity between now and the deadline.

Here’s more on the injury front:

Mets second baseman Neil Walker appeared to suffer a left hamstring injury while trying to leg out a bunt single in tonight’s game. The club did not reveal any details in an official announcement, though the team did state that Walker is already slated to undergo an MRI tomorrow. Not coincidentally, perhaps, infielder Gavin Cecchini was removed from the Triple-A Las Vegas lineup, as Betsy Helfand of the Las Vegas Review Journal tweets.
There were also some fresh concerns on the pitching side of the equation for the Mets. Matt Harvey was hooked after four innings and 58 pitches, as David Lennon of Newsday reports (Twitter links). He’ll head in for a medical check tomorrow after what he called a “fatigued” outing in which his fastball velocity dropped as low as 87 mph — a level that, per Harvey, he hadn’t visited since he was a freshman in high school. Also, before the game, the Mets placed lefty Josh Smoker on the DL with a left shoulder strain. New York was forced to lean on the reliever for four innings and 81 pitches last night. Righty Rafael Montero will return to the majors in his stead.
The Red Sox saw another starter leave with an injury tonight, as southpaw Brian Johnson exited with what the team is calling left shoulder discomfort, as Jen McCaffrey of MassLive.com reports. While all involved expressed hope that the issue wouldn’t turn out to be anything significant, Johnson will be given a full checkup in Boston tomorrow to be sure.
The Cubs are weighing a DL move for Ben Zobrist, as Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune was among those to report. His left wrist isn’t healing up as hoped, so Zobrist will be looked at more closely tomorrow. If he’s not able to suit up, then a DL placement seems likely.
There’s some positive news on Angels southpaw Tyler Skaggs. As Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register tweets, the 25-year-old is heading to the team’s spring complex with an eye on making back to the majors by early July. Hell be hoping to finally put an end to the string of injuries that have slowed his promising career. Skaggs is currently working back from an oblique strain.
Also now looking toward a return is Rangers lefty Cole Hamels. As Stefan Stevenson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports, Hamels could take a rehab start on Friday — the same day that Tyson Ross is set to make his Rangers debut. That could potentially line Hamels up to return to the majors before month’s end. That’s promising news for a Texas team that is off to a middling start to the season. The Rangers are also likely to welcome back first baseman Mike Napoli and outfielder Carlos Gomez in the coming days.
Things aren’t looking as promising for Padres righty Jarred Cosart. According to AJ Cassavell of MLB.com, on Twitter, Cosart has been diagnosed with a flexor strain. He’s not yet ready to begin throwing and will partake in some rehab efforts at the club’s spring facility.
Finally, the Dodgers are holding their breath as prized young lefty Julio Urias reports to Dr. Neal ElAttrache for a look at his shoulder. As Andy McCullough of the Los Angeles Times reports (Twitter links), soreness in the joint has forced the 20-year-old to the DL at Triple-A. Things haven’t gone as hoped this year for Urias, who showed immense promise in 2016. He largely struggled in five MLB starts and was carrying higher-than-usual walk totals at Triple-A.

West Notes: Bumgarner, Ross, Haniger, Gossett

By charliewilmoth | June 11, 2017 at 2:59pm CDT

Giants star Madison Bumgarner is facing live hitters this weekend as he attempts to return from a shoulder injury suffered in a fateful dirt bike accident, as Andrew Baggarly of the Mercury News and other reporters have noted. That means Bumgarner could return to game action sooner than anticipated, although manager Bruce Bochy says he doesn’t believe Bumgarner will be back before the All-Star Break. Here’s more injury news from the West divisions.

A pitcher whose return date appears to be closer is the Rangers’ Tyson Ross, who told reporters, including MLB.com’s TR Sullivan (on Twitter), that he’s ready to make his 2017 big-league debut. (The team hasn’t yet set a date for his first start.) The Rangers signed Ross to a one-year deal last offseason knowing it was uncertain when he’d be able to pitch after having surgery to relieve thoracic outlet syndrome. With Ross having four Triple-A rehab starts under his belt, it appears that moment is soon to arrive. Ross, of course, had a great three-year run with the Padres from 2013 through 2015, posting a 3.07 ERA, 9.2 K/9 and 3.5 BB/9 in over 500 innings during that span. It remains to be seen how he’ll pitch after missing most of the last season and a half with arm trouble, however.
The Mariners have announced that they’ve activated outfielder Mitch Haniger from the 10-day DL, where he landed after suffering a strained right oblique. To clear space, the team has optioned fellow outfielder Boog Powell to Triple-A Tacoma. Haniger joined Jean Segura in getting off to a hot start to his big-league career after arriving in a big offseason trade with the Diamondbacks, but Haniger has been out since April 25. He’s batting .342/.447/.608 in his first 95 plate appearances with Seattle.
Athletics righty Daniel Gossett will make his big-league debut in a start Wednesday, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle tweets. Gossett will replace Andrew Triggs, who went on the DL Saturday with a hip injury. MLB.com rates Gossett as the Athletics’ No. 5 prospect, praising his durability and the life on his low-90s fastball. He’s produced a 3.41 ERA, 8.0 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9 over 60 2/3 innings this season for Triple-A Nashville.

Pitching Notes: Mets, Rangers, ChiSox, Tribe

By Connor Byrne | June 4, 2017 at 4:01pm CDT

Both left-hander Steven Matz and right-hander Seth Lugo will join the Mets’ rotation next weekend for their 2017 debuts, manager Terry Collins announced Saturday (via Anthony DiComo of MLB.com). The Mets have been without the pair all season because of elbow injuries, and once they return, righties Robert Gsellman and Tyler Pill will exit the team’s rotation. While righty Matt Harvey has arguably pitched poorly enough to warrant a demotion, the Mets aren’t considering relegating him to the big league bullpen or their Triple-A rotation, according to David Lennon of Newsday. Instead, they’ll continue to give the former ace an opportunity to work his way back from last year’s thoracic outlet syndrome surgery as part of their starting five.

Righty Tyson Ross could start for the Rangers next weekend, though the team hasn’t made a decision yet on when it will activate him, per T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com. “It comes down to how he feels the next few days, going through the progression and his overall health,” manager Jeff Banister said of Ross, an ex-Padre who hasn’t pitched in the majors since suffering a shoulder injury on Opening Day 2016. Ross, who underwent thoracic outlet syndrome surgery last October and then signed with the Rangers in the winter, made his third Triple-A rehab start Saturday and allowed two runs and five hits over 5 1/3 innings (93 pitches).
White Sox southpaw Carlos Rodon, on the shelf all season with shoulder bursitis, is about to take an important step in his recovery. Rodon will begin a rehab assignment Tuesday at the Class-A level, which will represent his first game action since a March 19 spring training start, writes Colleen Kane of the Chicago Tribune. A key piece for the rebuilding White Sox, the 24-year-old Rodon recorded a 4.06 ERA, 9.16 K/9, 2.95 BB/9 and a 44.1 percent ground-ball rate in 165 innings last season.
Indians righty Danny Salazar hasn’t made enough progress since his demotion to the bullpen last week to return to the rotation, manager Terry Francona suggested Sunday (per Robert Falkoff of MLB.com). “He’s got some work to do,” Francona said. “We felt like the best thing to do is keep him where he is and let him keep working more often. He’ll have more chances to throw with shorter segments. He’s still not where he needs to be.” In two appearances and 2 2/3 innings in relief, the flamethrowing Salazar has given up one earned run on four hits and four strikeouts.

Injury Notes: Ottavino, Pedroia, Hughes, Perkins, Semien, M’s, Ross

By Jeff Todd | May 30, 2017 at 10:07pm CDT

The Rockies placed setup man Adam Ottavino on the 10-day DL with shoulder inflammation, as Nick Groke of the Denver Post reports. That’s frightening news at first glance, but it’s not believed to be a significant issue. Per Ottavino, he could’ve continued throwing but the decision was made to “put the fire out now.” As Groke notes, Ottavino has labored through his last several outings, though he has continued to generate excellent results all year long. Carlos Estevez will come back up to take the open bullpen slot.

While there was initially a fair bit of concern for veteran Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia, the prognosis now seems to be good. President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski says that he thinks Pedroia may be back after the minimum ten-day absence, as Tim Britton of the Providence Journal reports on Twitter. “It’s really the best-case scenario in many ways,” said Dombrowski.
While Phil Hughes of the Twins is experiencing some symptoms akin to those that led to thoracic outlet surgery previously, it seems that’s not the root cause this time around. As MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger provides on Twitter, a medical assessment shows that Hughes may be dealing with a build-up of scar tissue in his neck and shoulder area. He’ll undergo “a rigorous soft tissue and mobility rehab regimen in advance of beginning his throwing.”
Meanwhile, Twins lefty Glen Perkins is still traveling a long road back to the majors, but there are new signs of hope. As Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer-Press reports, Perkins was able to face hitters for the first time in over a year. “I didn’t know if I was going to be able to do what I did today,” said the veteran reliever. “Coming out of it I love where I’m at physically and mentally.” Perkins still needs to work in his slider and build up arm strength, of course, but he may not be far from a rehab assignment.
Though he’s still a long ways off from a return, Athletics shortstop Marcus Semien has taken an important step in his return from wrist surgery, as Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. Semien was able to throw for the first time since going under the knife, though he has still yet to take full cuts with the bat. Skipper Bob Melvin called the news “significant,” though he also noted that the organization is “not close on putting together a timetable” for Semien’s return to the majors.
The Mariners continue to see signs of progress from right-handers Felix Hernandez and Hisashi Iwakuma, as Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times reports (Twitter links). Hernandez is ready for a sim game, while Iwakuma may not be far behind him.
While Tyson Ross is nearly ready for the Rangers, the club is still waiting to activate him. As MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan tweets, Ross is expected to make one more rehab outing before re-ascending to the majors.

AL Injury Notes: Hanley, Paxton/M’s, Graveman/Hahn, Griffin

By Jeff Todd | May 26, 2017 at 8:33pm CDT

The Red Sox won’t count on Hanley Ramirez being capable of playing first base again this year, president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski told reporters including Tim Britton of the Providence Journal. Shoulder troubles have persisted for the veteran, relegating him to DH duties. “The potential negatives of him going out and [playing first], at this point don’t outweigh the positives that we get from having his bat in as our DH,” Dombrowski explained. “We just have to maneuver around it.” For the time being, at least, rookie Sam Travis is up to provide a right-handed-hitting option at first along side lefty Mitch Moreland.

Here’s more on some injury situations around the American League:

There’s some welcome news on the injury front for the Mariners, who watched lefty James Paxton through four innings and 55 pitches tonight in a rehab outing, as MLB.com’s Greg Johns reports (Twitter links). The expectation is that he’ll take the ball for Seattle on Wednesday. Fellow rehabbing starters Felix Hernandez and Hisashi Iwakuma are slated for bullpen sessions in the coming days, too, leading skipper Scott Servais to say that the club is finally “starting to see light at the end of the tunnel.”
Two Athletics pitchers, meanwhile, are dealing with injury issues. Right-hander Kendall Graveman is suffering from some shoulder issues, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle tweets, though the seriousness isn’t yet clear. And while the MRI results were promising for fellow righty Jesse Hahn, MLB.com’s Jane Lee reports on Twitter, his triceps problem is likely to require a DL stint. Jharel Cotton will come up to take a rotation spot this weekend.
Finally, the Rangers will be awaiting the results of further evaluation on righty A.J. Griffin, but he’s heading to the DL, according to Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News (via Twitter). Per a club announcement, he left his start tonight with a left intercostal strain. Even if Griffin ends up missing some time, though, it may not work out too badly for Texas. As Grant notes (Twitter links), the team could fill the opening with Tyson Ross — if he’s ready. Alternatively, Yohander Mendez could be an option. For the time being, though, veteran Dillon Gee will head onto the active roster.

AL West Notes: Meyer, Miranda, Reddick, Rangers, Mariners

By Steve Adams | May 3, 2017 at 9:21pm CDT

Prior to acquiring Ricky Nolasco and Alex Meyer (plus some cash to offset Nolasco’s salary) in the trade that sent Hector Santiago to the Twins last summer, the Angels had the opportunity to trade Santiago to the Orioles for lefty Ariel Miranda, according to Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register. The Orioles were seeking a veteran arm for their rotation and dangled Miranda in talks with both the Angels and Mariners, ultimately flipping Miranda to Seattle in exchange for Wade Miley. Fletcher notes that the Halos were seeking more upside than Miranda brings to the table and felt that Meyer fit the bill. Indeed, the 27-year-old former first-rounder was a mainstay on Top 100 prospect lists throughout the industry several years ago, though shoulder injuries have derailed his career to date. Meyer will get a start for the Halos this week, while Nolasco has at the very least been a durable source of innings for manager Mike Scioscia. Miranda is currently in the Mariners’ rotation, though that’s out of necessity due to injuries throughout the Seattle pitching staff.

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