Padres right-hander Tyson Ross saw his first game action since the Padres' season opener on April 4, but his Minor League rehab appearance was short-lived.
Pitching for Class A Advanced Lake Elsinore on Thursday, Ross lasted just two-thirds of an inning against Rancho Cucamonga, allowing four earned runs on three hits and a pair of walks. He threw 27 pitches.
Ross landed on the disabled list with a bout of inflammation in his shoulder after his Opening Day start, and his recovery was further delayed when he rolled his ankle in his hotel room last month.
Ross drew praise after a pair of batting practices last week, but with the Padres out of contention, there's no urgency to rush him back. Instead the focus is on building his confidence heading into the offseason.
"It's all going to be predicated on how he feels coming off of every start," manager Andy Green said on Tuesday of Ross' return. "We're not going to push him quickly, obviously, at this point in time. It's [almost] September; we're going to make sure he's healthy. My hope is that he's starting for us in mid-to-early September."
Ross, an All-Star in 2014, is hoping to resume his seventh year in the Majors and his fourth with San Diego. He has a 3.64 ERA through 153 big league games (102 starts).