Tyson Ross Will Not Participate In 2020 Season

Veteran right-hander Tyson Ross will not participate in the 2020 season owing to concerns over COVID-19, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports on Twitter. His decision mirrors that of his younger brother.

Ross had been released recently by the Giants, a move that was at least a bit surprising with “Summer Camp” about to launch. One might have expected the team to retain its veteran rotation depth at the outset of a quick sprint toward the start of the 2020 season.

It’s certainly possible that the release occurred after Ross advised the Giants that he had chosen not to participate in the campaign. Since he had originally joined the organization on a minor-league pact with the aim of earning his way onto the MLB roster, there wouldn’t have been any reason for either side to maintain a contractual relationship if Ross was not going to play this year.

Ross no longer resembles the high-quality rotation centerpiece he once was with the Padres, as injuries have largely derailed his career. But even in his diminished state, he’s still precisely the sort of depth arm that many teams like to have on hand.

Unless there’s more to the story we don’t know about, it seems the Giants won’t owe any further compensation to Ross. In theory, it would appear that the hurler could still change his mind and re-sign with the Giants or join another organization at some point during the campaign. If indeed he remains committed to laying low in 2020, Ross will presumably weigh whether to attempt a career re-boot next spring.