Phillies reinstate Joe Ross from IL, option Seth Johnson to Triple-A

The Phillies made a bullpen shuffle on Tuesday ahead of their series matchup against the Orioles, reinstating veteran reliever Joe Ross from the 15-day injured list and optioning right-hander Seth Johnson to Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

Ross, 32, returns after dealing with back spasms that landed him on the IL back on July 22, the result of stepping into a hole on the mound and “jarring” his back, according to manager Rob Thomson.

Joe Ross returns to the Phillies, Seth Johnson optioned to AAA

Joe Ross is back. Yay. pic.twitter.com/0vRqHPmqAd

— DrunkPhilsFans (@DrunkPhilsFans) August 5, 2025

After a couple of scoreless rehab outings with the IronPigs, Ross is back in the bullpen mix. Whether that actually moves the needle remains to be seen.

Let’s call it what it is: Ross hasn’t lived up to expectations this season. Signed to a one-year, $4 million deal after a strong second-half run with the Brewers in 2024, the hope was that he could serve as a versatile swingman. Instead, he’s posted a 5.28 ERA in 31 appearances and found himself mostly in mop-up duty.

With Jhoan Duran now locking down the ninth inning and David Robertson and José Alvarado on the verge of returning, Ross is essentially bullpen depth at this point and likely to stay in the back-end unless things go off the rails elsewhere.

As for Seth Johnson, the 25-year-old had a brief stay with the big-league club, and will return to Triple-A where he’s been solid in a middle relief role. Nothing dramatic here, just one of those “business of baseball” moves.

The Phillies continue to tinker as they gear up for the postseason stretch run. And while Ross’ return probably won’t steal headlines, it’s another arm in the mix as the bullpen slowly rounds back into full health.

Join The Chase