WASHINGTON -- A day after showing a drop in velocity during his start against the Reds, Nationals right-hander Joe Ross was placed on the 15-day disabled list with right shoulder inflammation. The team activated right-hander Stephen Strasburg before Sunday's 12-1 win over the Reds.
Ross showed signs in Saturday's 9-4 loss to the Reds that there was something wrong with his shoulder. Ross has a sinker that averages 93.5 mph, according to Brooks Baseball. It listed his sinker as only averaging 91.8 and sitting in the high 80s during the fifth inning. At first, Ross said he was OK. He just had poor command.
But when he arrived at Nationals Park on Sunday morning, manager Dusty Baker wanted Ross to tell the truth about his shoulder. Ross confessed that he had shoulder discomfort. Ross then went to the hospital to have an MRI and it revealed the inflammation.
"We are going to try and quiet the shoulder down," Baker said. "Joe is a valuable piece of this team for a long time."
Ross' trip to the disabled list means Lucas Giolito will remain in the Nationals' rotation. Giolito, the top prospect in baseball, according to MLBPipeline.com, made his Major League debut on Tuesday against the Mets, throwing four scoreless innings in a rain-shortened start. He could pitch against the Mets on Thursday at Citi Field, but the Nationals have yet to make that announcement.