PHILADELPHIA -- The Philadelphia Phillies and right-handed pitcher Joe Ross finalized a one-year, $4 million contract Monday.
The 31-year-old Ross made 10 starts and 25 total appearances for the Milwaukee Brewers last season. He went 3-6 with a 3.77 ERA.
Selected by the San Diego Padres in the first round of the 2011 amateur draft, the 6-foot-4 Ross has pitched in 123 career games across seven seasons with the Washington Nationals and Brewers. In his career, he has combined for a 4.19 ERA with 469 strikeouts and 170 walks. He is 29-34.
Ross is the latest in an offseason of minor moves for the defending National League East champs. The Phillies acquired left-hander Jesús Luzardo from the Miami Marlins and signed free agent outfielder Max Kepler to a one-year, $10 million deal.
The Phillies, meanwhile, have no plans to pitch prized prospect Andrew Painter in spring training games as he recovers from Tommy John surgery.
The 21-year-old Painter hurt his elbow during spring training in 2023 and had surgery that July 25 with Los Angeles Dodgers head team physician Dr. Neal ElAttrache. Painter was the 13th overall pick in the 2021 amateur draft and signed for a $3.9 million bonus.
"He'll throw but not plan on pitching" in games, Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said Monday. "We're going to push the innings back."
Dombrowski said Painter will build up at some point in the minor leagues and could make his major league debut in the summer.
Painter made six starts and allowed four runs in the Arizona Fall League. He struck out 18 batters in 15â…” innings after he sat out each of the past two seasons.
Painter sprinted through Philadelphia's system in 2022, going 6-2 with a 1.48 ERA in 26 appearances spread across two Single-A teams and Double-A Reading.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
