During his season away from baseball, Nationals pitcher Joe Ross found his voice

So on Friday, Ross had a lot to reflect on. He was on a Zoom call to discuss his involvement in the Players Alliance, a large group of current and retired Black baseball players working to promote and improve diversity in the sport. Ross, a northern California native, is helping coordinate Players Alliance events in Oakland and San Francisco this winter. The right-handed pitcher wants to give back and be an example for kids in communities where baseball isn’t traditionally accessible or popular. He and Josh Harrison, his teammate with the Nationals and another member of the Players Alliance, spoke Friday about their hopes for increased inclusivity in the present and future.

Ross’s views were refined by his summer away from playing. While conversations and actions regarding social justice reverberated throughout baseball, Ross watched from afar and thought about his reach as a professional athlete. His decision to opt out, he explained, was a mix of acting on health concerns and being skeptical of slapdash protocols. And he never regretted the choice to step back and become a spectator for the 60-game season.

“With the medical professionals in my family — both my parents, my sister, some close family friends — it just kind of made sense to take this as serious as you could,” Ross said. “There were a lot of unanswered questions going into it. Not that we know everything now, but the initial shock value of what was happening added up with a few other things, and I decided to take time away, which is always hard to do. The only time in the past you could ever drag me off the field was if I literally couldn’t throw a baseball. So to sideline myself was a little different this year and kind of made me appreciate what baseball does give me.”

This week, Ross and the Nationals agreed to a one-year, $1.5 million deal for 2021. The 27-year-old again is expected to compete with Erick Fedde and, to a lesser extent, Austin Voth for the final spot in Washington’s rotation. By opting out, Ross forfeited his prorated salary and a full year of major league service time. Otherwise, his coming spring should look and feel a lot like his last one.

In the meantime, Ross has adopted new uses for his Twitter and Instagram accounts. It’s not that he is constantly posting what’s on his mind. He is sharing more messages regarding injustice and systemic racism.

“I just feel like with all the things, really, that happened this year — I mean, not that they haven’t been happening in the past — but since we haven’t had much going on, we’ve been locked down, you’re kind of forced to be inside, you see a lot of things,” Ross said. “Some instincts have kind of come to light more than in times past. It felt like the time to speak up and really use my voice while I can.

“Obviously, we’re seeing these things that are happening, and it’s kind of time to use the platform that I have.”

To keep up physically, Ross spent the season lifting in his garage and playing catch with older brother Tyson, also a major league pitcher who opted out of 2020. The siblings lived together for part of the pandemic, giving each a reliable throwing partner. But Joe Ross also used the rare chance to rest his arm and recharge for next season.

As for whether he will feel comfortable returning in the spring, Ross seems sure he will be in camp. He had the itch to play throughout the summer. There were moments when, after watching a Nationals game, he would want to go outside and toss even if it was as late as 11 p.m. A main issue for him — and a main issue for a lot of players — was that preseason negotiations between the owners and players’ union mostly centered on labor and money, not health protocols. But with an even longer lead-up to next season, Ross is hopeful that outstanding questions will be tackled.

“Last year, we were at a standstill so long with going back and forth on what the season’s pay was going to look like, I think we kind of lost a little bit of insight on the whole reason we stopped playing baseball in spring training,” Ross said. “It was a health reason. I wish there was maybe a more complete plan on how to handle the whole situation.

“The NBA, they literally locked their players in and ensured everyone’s health throughout the season. I’m pretty confident going into this year that everyone will have a pre-solidified plan on how to do so.”