Free agent Ross should be in high demand

This year’s class of free-agent pitchers was weak to begin with, and that was before Jeremy Hellickson accepted a qualifying offer, and Rich Hill, Bartolo Colon, and others signed.

One name stands out among those who remain available: Tyson Ross.

Ross wasn’t expected to be a free agent until next offseason, but in a move that came as a surprise to many, the Padres non-tendered him on Dec. 2 rather than go through the arbitration process. That’s because Ross, who made $9.625 million in 2016, missed all but his first start of last season with shoulder problems and underwent thoracic outlet syndrome surgery in October. The right-hander would have been an expensive and risky piece for a rebuilding San Diego club.

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With that said, Ross should be in high demand across the league, as pitching-hungry teams pick through a thin market. After all, this is a 29-year-old who as recently as 2014-15 was one of MLB’s 25 best starters, by at least some measures.

Of course, interested teams also have to acknowledge the reality of Ross’ situation, which is that he might never regain his pre-injury form.

Surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome — which includes the removal of a rib to relieve pressure — has a four-to-six month recovery time. That would put Ross’ return somewhere between roughly February and April, but there are no guarantees. There also is little precedent for Major League pitchers returning to …

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