Milwaukee Brewers Pitcher Joe Ross Heads to Injured List With Back Strain

Joe Ross, who once had his career with the Washington Nationals derailed by injuries, has been sidelined just a few weeks into his first season with the Milwaukee Brewers.

Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Joe Ross (41) watches a two-run home run hit by Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Nick Gonzales (39) during the fourth inning of their game Tuesday, May 14, 2024 at American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. | Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

The Milwaukee Brewers have placed starting pitcher Joe Ross on the 15-day injured list with a low back strain, the team announced Tuesday afternoon.

Ross last took the mound Monday against the Miami Marlins. The veteran right-hander lasted just 1.0 inning, allowing one hit, one walk and no runs before he got pulled due to back tightness.

To fill out their pitching staff in Ross' absence, the Brewers recalled right-hander Tobias Myers from Triple-A Nashville.

While an upcoming off day on Thursday could have helped the Brewers get by with a four-man rotation until they faced the Chicago Cubs on May 30, Myers' arrival suggests that manager Pat Murphy is content using the 25-year-old rookie as a part-time replacement starter.

Ross, who turned 31 years old on Tuesday, is eligible to return on June 5, when Milwaukee faces the Philadelphia Phillies.

Before he went down, Ross was 2-4 with a 4.50 ERA, 1.381 WHIP and -0.1 WAR in nine starts this season. He boasted a 3.18 ERA, 0.941 WHIP and .200 batting average against in the month of May.

RHP Joe Ross placed on the 15-day injured list with a low back strain.

RHP Tobias Myers recalled from Triple-A Nashville. pic.twitter.com/ieOYeGaFsa

— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) May 21, 2024

Ross is no stranger to injuries, considering they largely derailed his once-promising career with the Washington Nationals.

Between 2015 and 2016, Ross went 12-10 with a 3.52 ERA, 1.222 WHIP and a 3.3 WAR. Ross then underwent Tommy John surgery in 2017, limiting him to just 89.2 innings over the next two seasons.

Ross was healthy again in 2019, but he finished with an ERA above 5.00 for the third year in a row. He did, however, earn a World Series ring after starting Game 5 against the Houston Astros that October.

After opting out of the COVID-impacted 2020 season, Ross returned to the Nationals' rotation in the first half of 2021. He wound up needing a second Tommy John surgery, though, knocking him out for most of the next two years.

The San Francisco Giants took a flier on Ross in 2023, signing him to a minor league deal, but he made just seven starts between Double-A and Triple-A and never reached the majors.

Ross went 14-18 with a 4.78 ERA, 1.406 WHIP and 1.1 WAR between 2017 and 2023, making just 63 appearances across those seven seasons.

Just as Ross appeared to be getting his feet back under his this month, a cruel twist of fate will sideline him for at least the next few weeks. Once he's back on the mound, it remains to be seen if he can keep that momentum alive.

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