Baltimore Orioles Rumors: Jorge De La Rosa a potential trade target?
By Hayden Kane
Jorge De La Rosa is one of the most successful pitchers in Colorado Rockies history. Twice he has won 16 games in a season and he is the rare starting pitcher who keeps his home and road splits level despite pitching his home games at Coors Field.
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With his contract up at the end of the season and the Rockies in the basement of the NL West, De La Rosa is drawing trade interest. The Baltimore Orioles are at the top of the list of teams interested in a deal for the veteran left-handed starter.
According to Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun:
#Orioles have been looking for a starting P upgrade, and one guy they have been monitoring is Rockies LHP Jorge De La Rosa, source says
— Dan Connolly (@danconnolly2016) July 9, 2014
Jorge de La Rosa, 33, is 9-6 w a 4.75 ERA in 18 starts this yr for #Rockies. FA at year's end. Rocks need P depth in minors. Could be a fit
— Dan Connolly (@danconnolly2016) July 9, 2014
There are a few interesting connections between De La Rosa and the Orioles. When the lefty started his career with the Arizona Diamondbacks, current Orioles’ manager Buck Showalter was on staff. If De La Rosa did join the Orioles, he would pitch in the same rotation once again as Ubaldo Jimenez; the two were previously in the same rotation in Colorado.
The Rockies have consistently expressed a desire to keep De La Rosa and he has said that he has a mutual interest in staying. Even with that being the case, however, Rockies’ management might not be able to stay away from a deal if it helps them start the rebuilding process that they so desperately need.