The Texas Rangers have added a risky but high-reward pitcher to their cache of starting pitchers and it's Tyson Ross. The team announced the deal on Thursday after news broke of the agreement late last week (MLB.com).
Ross, 29, made only one start last season and was then on the DL the rest of the year with a shoulder injury. He then had surgery to remove a rib for his thoracic outlet syndrome in October. The expected recovery period is four to six months, so it's possible Ross will be ready to join the Rangers' rotation in April, but he could have some setbacks.
Ross was a bit of an unexpected free agent this offseason, as he wasn't eligible to hit free agency until after the 2017 season, but the Padres instead non-tendered him. So instead of seeing if he could rebuild some of his value and then get something back in a trade, they cut bait.
It's worth mention that the Padres had access to Ross' medicals and were surely monitoring his progress, so it's possible they didn't like what they saw. Further, it should be noted that Ross' agreed-upon deal with the Rangers won't become official until he passes a physical.
If the deal is complete, Ross could down the road provides good upside in the Rangers' rotation. They already have aces Cole Hamels and Yu Darvish at the top. Martin Perez, Andrew Cashner and A.J. Griffin appear to round things out for now, but Ross would have a chance to figure in. Griffin would be squeezed out by a healthy Ross. Perez, Cashner and Ross hitting their respective ceilings -- granted, it's unlikely it happens with all three -- would make for a rather scary top five.
In 2014-15 combined, Ross had a 3.03 ERA (117 ERA+), 1.26 WHIP and 407 strikeouts in 391 2/3 innings. He was an All-Star in 2014.
The Cubs were the other reported strong suitor for Ross, with several others teams -- notably the Nationals -- also seemingly in the mix.
