Depth Move: Cubs add Joe Ross for stretch run

Charles LeClaire - USA Today Sports

Dustin Riese · Senior Writer · 3 hours ago

Now that the September 1 roster deadline has passed, most of the playoff-contending teams have their playoff rosters in hand. That doesn't mean teams will stop adding players, as any acquisition from this point on would have to come as a minor league pickup and wouldn't be allowed on the playoff roster.

The Chicago Cubs know that better than anyone, but they aren't going to stop trying to improve on the margins, as right-hander Joe Ross and the Cubs have come to terms on a Minor League deal, as he will finish the season with AAA. The 32-year-old right-hander was once one of the better pitching prospects for the Washington Nationals, up until a series of arm injuries set him back and turned him into a shell of himself.

Still, Ross was effective enough at times to latch on to several teams, including the Philadelphia Phillies this season, who released him from their roster just over a week ago. Now, with the Cubs, Ross has a chance to finish the season in a less stressful environment, while addressing some issues heading into the offseason and seeing what happens from there.

It has taken Ross a long time to get back to form, as he not only missed the 2022 season but also the 2023 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery. He wound up signing with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2024, and, to no one's surprise, experienced a rejuvenation, which is often the case when many players land with the Brewers.

Across 74 innings last season, Ross pitched primarily as the swing guy, similar to what Colin Rea was supposed to be this season, and did so effectively with a 3.77 ERA. His 20.6% strikeout rate, 9% walk rate, and 41% ground ball rate were all close to league average, although the strikeout rate was down from where it was pre-injury.

Seeing that he was not only healthy but getting the solid overall results he had, Ross agreed to a one-year contract with the Phillies this offseason worth four million dollars. Needless to say, the Phillies never got the performance they were hoping for from him, as he pitched to a 5.12 ERA across 51 innings, while his strikeout rate fell to around 17%.

That isn't a good sign, but what is a good sign is an increased ground ball rate of 45.5% and a declining walk rate of 7.6% as Ross continues to throw strikes, albeit sometimes too hittable strikes. Pitching in front of the Cubs' defense at some point could help the results turn in his favor, as he does appear to have something left in the tank.

With guys like Michael Soroka and Jameson Taillon on the IL, and Cade Horton, Matthew Boyd, and Rea all approaching or well past their career high in innings, you have to wonder if fatigue is going to start affecting some of these arms. You have started to see that with Boyd and Rea in their past two starts, so adding a guy in Ross to give them added depth with Aaron Civale and Ben Brown may not be a bad idea.

Although it doesn't appear that Ross will make an impact on the Cubs unless there is an urgent need, the transaction was scheduled for September 1, despite being pushed through today. That means that some agreement was agreed upon before the September 1 roster cutoff, which actually makes Ross playoff eligible if the Cubs like what they see from him.

Bouncing between a reliever (swing) and a starter, Ross has appeared in 160 big league games, 87 of them coming as starts. In those games, he has pitched to a 31-35 record and a 4.28 ERA, which, ironically enough, is better than the league average of 4.41. While the strikeout numbers have never been there, neither have the walks, as he is a strike thrower who pitches to contact.

Usually, that doesn't work in this league long-term, but when you look at the defense, the Cubs trot out there, pitching to contact isn't always a bad idea. When healthy, Ross tends to sit around 94 MPH with his fastball, but has been able to rush it up to 96 when needed. Along with that comes his mid-80s change and a breaking ball as he can use any one of his pitches at any point in the count.

This is another one of those low-risk, high-reward pickups that Hoyer has grown accustomed to making, as it doesn't cost the Cubs a thing should it not pan out. On the other hand, if it works, Ross will have this roster just another depth piece to play with as the 2025 season rapidly comes to a close.