Washington Nationals starter Stephen Strasburg has been the subject of sparse trade rumors, but another member of the club's starting rotation is beginning to garner interest on the trade market.
Joe Ross, who was acquired from the Padres last season in the big three-team deal that sent outfielder Wil Myers to San Diego, just finished his rookie season with the Nats and now other MLB teams have taken notice of his abilities.
The right-hander went 5-5 with a 3.64 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 69 strikeouts in 16 games (13 starts), totaling 76 2/3 innings. Ross is the younger brother of Padres starter Tyson Ross, who, coincidentally, is also a big name in trade rumors.
"One of the most sought-after pitchers of the offseason has been the 22-year-old Ross," writes Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. "For the moment, GM Mike Rizzo is resisting all offers. The Nationals stand to lose Jordan Zimmermann and Doug Fister in free agency, and would fit Ross into the rotation. But they have other needs and Ross would bring a huge return."
One can't blame Rizzo for holding back at this point, considering the team just lost Zimmermann to the Detroit Tigers and Fister is unlikely to return. Additionally, Strasburg will be a free agent after this season, which means Rizzo needs to ensure there is enough starting pitching to last the Nats beyond 2016.
The trouble for Rizzo is that many MLB clubs are searching for cost-effective - particularly club-controlled starting pitching - and Ross' debut season suggests he's just that. The former 2011 first-round pick won't be a free agent until after the 2021 season, according to Mark Zuckerman of NatsInsider.com. He accumulated 94 days of service time in 2015 and won't be arbitration-eligible until after 2018.
"Joe had an incredible season," Rizzo told Zuckerman. "For a guy that just turned 22 a couple months ago, he showed the poise and the stuff of a seasoned pro. We really liked him coming into the season. As you can see, he has exceeded everybody's expectation on his developmental curve and the time it took him to get to the big leagues, and how he performed in the big leagues."
Ross figures to be the team's No. 4 or No. 5 starter in 2016 alongside Strasburg, Max Scherzer, Gio Gonzalez and Tanner Roark. Prospects Lucas Giolito and A.J. Cole could be ready for consistent MLB action as well and Austin Voth enjoyed a good season at Double-A Harrisburg, meaning he isn't too far off. However, it's clear Ross is expected to remain part of the future of this rotation.
Rizzo will probably continue to stand pat when listening to offers on Ross as the offseason progresses because the youngster stands a good chance to provide stability to one of the most important aspects of a roster. The astronomical cost for top starting pitching is absurd, so his presence helps in more ways than one because he's not going to be eating up the payroll.
Also, it's unclear what kind of a return Rizzo could get for Ross. More prospects? Washington doesn't really need that. They could use bullpen arms, but Rizzo can address that area of need in free agency. If the team can stay healthy it's no secret they can be one of the best in the MLB, making it almost pointless to trade Ross because he wouldn't be helping them fulfill an immediate, worthwhile or glaring need.
Ross logged eight quality starts out of his 13 this past season, including impressive outings against the Pittsburgh Pirates (twice), the second-half New York Mets and the Arizona Diamondbacks.
I don't think that's a player you'd want to move elsewhere.
