Former Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Joe Ross has signed back with the Texas Rangers.
Ross elected free agency on July 1 after the Rangers DFA’d him. Yet, just two days later, he signed back with the Rangers on a minor-league deal, according to the MLB transactions log.
Ross appeared in 5 games with the Rangers before he was DFA’d, as he was 0-1 with a 4.50 ERA in 8 innings. The veteran right-hander began the 2026 MLB season with the Arizona Diamondbacks, but was released after having a 19.64 ERA in 3 games in 3.2 innings.
Ross is a nine-year MLB veteran who made his debut in 2015 with the Washington Nationals. He pitched for Washington until 2021, including winning the World Series in 2019.
The veteran suffered an elbow injury in August of 2021 that ended his season, and he underwent Tommy John surgery in May, as he didn’t pitch in the majors in 2022 or 2023. He signed with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2024 and then signed a one-year, $4 million deal with the Phillies for the 2025 season.
Ross was expected to compete for a rotation spot, but he became the long man out of the bullpen as he went 2-1 with a 5.12 ERA in 37 games, including 1 start, and ended up being released in August.
In his MLB career, Ross is 31-36 with a 4.38 ERA in 168 games, including 87 starts.
Phillies Had High Hopes for Ross
Philadelphia inked Ross to a one-year, $4 million deal and they had hopes of him potentially earning a spot in the rotation.
After signing Ross, Dave Dombrowski thought the veteran could have been the fifth starter.
“We were looking for somebody else to take the fifth spot and have the flexibility to go into the rotation or into the bullpen, which would fit the Joe Ross description,” Dombrowski said after signing Ross. “But then when we talked about Luzardo’s scenario and he was available, it just, for us, we talked about trying to get our team better in any way we possibly can.”
However, Ross didn’t win a job and was sent to the bullpen, where he had mixed results and was eventually released.
Philadelphia Turned Season Around
The Phillies started the season poorly, which led to manager Rob Thomson being fired.
Since Don Mattingly has taken over as the interim manager, the Phillies have been one of the top teams in the MLB and are chasing down the Atlanta Braves for the top spot in the NL East.
With that, the Phillies should be active ahead of the August 3 trade deadline, MLB insider Robert Murray of FanSided expects the team to be as aggressive as possible.
“Expected Dave Dombrowski to be aggressive with the Phillies trade deadline plans,” Murray wrote. “… The Phillies can smell it. And with an addition or two, perhaps even a star, not only can the division be theirs, but so can the National League as a whole. Dombrowski is the executive to watch between now and August 3.”
The Phillies are 49-39 and three games back of the Braves for the top spot in the NL East. Philadelphia is 7-3 in its last 10 games.
Ex-Phillies 9-Year MLB Veteran Signs With AL Club After Release