Sidetracked by injury in 2016, Ross has something to prove

As we transition into offseason mode here, we're reviewing each significant player on the Nationals roster. We continue today with Joe Ross, whose promising season was interrupted by a shoulder injury that kept him sidelined until September.

PLAYER REVIEW: JOE ROSS

Age on opening day 2017: 23

How acquired: Acquired from Padres with Trea Turner for Steven Souza Jr. and Travis Ott (traded to Rays in three-team deal), December 2014

MLB service time: 1 year, 94 days

2016 salary: $514,400

Contract status: Under club control in 2017, arbitration-eligible in 2019, free agent in 2022.

2016 stats: 7-5, 3.43 ERA, 19 GS, 0 CG, 105 IP, 108 H, 43 R, 40 ER, 9 HR, 29 BB, 93 SO, 6 HBP, 1.305 WHIP, 2.1 WAR

Quotable: "Pretty frustrating. Not anyone's fault. Just frustrating not being able to play. Especially days where it would be your start day. ... It's tough, but I've got to get back healthy, back on track and hopefully finish the season strong." - Joe Ross on July 26

2016 analysis: The Nationals had high hopes for Joe Ross entering the season, and why not? The young right-hander had a promising rookie campaign in 2015 and was poised to take the next step as a sophomore.

One month in, Ross looked absolutely electric. He went 3-0 with an 0.79 ERA in April, and though he took some hard-luck losses in May, he still ended that month with a 2.37 ERA that ranked among the league leaders.

Ross came back to earth in June, though, and then after a ragged July 2 start against the Reds in which his velocity was diminished, the Nationals decided to place him on the 15-day disabled list with shoulder inflammation. What was expected to be a short, almost precautionary stint on the shelf wound up lasting 2 1/2 months. By the time he returned in mid-September, Ross could only make three starts to tune up for the postseason.

The Nationals still needed the young right-hander to start Game 4 of the National League Division Series, and Ross gave them everything he had. But he clearly didn't have the stamina necessary for a start of that significance, and so he was pulled after only 2 2/3 innings, never having fully returned from what seemed like an innocuous physical ailment at the time.

2017 outlook: Ross should be perfectly healthy come spring training, so that shouldn't be a concern. And he'll be counted on to anchor the back end of the Nationals rotation, either as the No. 4 or No. 5 starter.

If he stays healthy and pitches the way he has to this point in his career - he's 12-10 with a 3.52 ERA in 35 career games (32 starts) - Ross will be exactly what the Nationals need him to be. If he takes a step forward in his development, he could be even more than that.

One valid concern, though: In their perfect world, the Nationals wanted Ross to build up his arm in 2016, pitching something in the neighborhood of 180 innings. He wound up with only 105 innings, plus another 13 1/3 spread over three minor-league rehab starts. The team is going to have to keep an eye on his workload again in 2017, because to take the reins off altogether would be both a potentially dangerous proposition and anathema to the organization's consistent handling of young pitchers.

If the Nationals want Ross to be a more significant part of their September (and perhaps October) rotation next year, they may have to find a way to limit his innings during the summer without it resulting in a 2 1/2-month stay on the DL this time.