Ross has started incorporating a split-finger pitch that he learned from Jonathan Papelbon into his arsenal, the Washington Post reports.

EDGE Analysis

Papelbon, in turned, learned the pitch from Curt Schilling, so it has a pretty good pedigree. Ross struggled at times with his changeup as a rookie, so using a splitter would give him another off-speed option and might be a better pitch for him in time, given that his large hands make the grip on the pitch easier for him. Ross is currently penciled into the back of the Nationals' Opening Day rotation.