The Dodgers have signed veteran hurler Rubby De La Rosa to a minor league deal, according to the MLB.com transaction log.
De La Rosa, 34 next month, has spent the past few seasons in Japan, and hasn’t pitched in the big leagues since 2017. Last year, he tossed 38 1/3 innings of relief for Yomiuri in Japan, working to a 2.58 ERA. That was his fourth season with the team, and he’s been a highly effective reliever over that period, finishing with a combined 2.53 ERA over 124 1/3 innings.
This move marks something of a homecoming for De La Rosa, who signed with the Dodgers out of the Dominican Republic back in 2007. The right-hander was well regarded coming through the minors, and made Baseball America’s top-100 prospects prior to the 2011 season. After a promising rookie year (3.71 ERA over 60 2/3 innings), the Dodgers shipped him to the Red Sox as part of the deal for Carl Crawford, Adrian Gonzalez and Josh Beckett in 2012.
De La Rosa never did deliver on his promise, struggling in Boston after returning from Tommy John surgery before being traded to the Diamondbacks in 2014. He spent a couple of seasons in Arizona, but after working to a 4.59 ERA over 247 innings, De La Rosa required a second Tommy John surgery and the Diamondbacks let him go. They would re-sign him to a two-year minor league pact, but he’d never make it back to the majors.
De La Rosa’s starting days are probably behind him, but he’ll add a bit of minor league bullpen depth for the Dodgers. Even dating back to his big league days in the last decade he was long speculated as someone who could find a lot more success in the bullpen, and he certainly did in Japan, so it’ll be interesting to see how he fares in his first season back in the US since 2019.
Hopefully not rubbish!
LA keeps filling up their system with “maybes”. It’s worth it if they can strike lightning with 1 or 2 of them. You don’t keep finishing on the top of the pile without taking chances.
Yeah nothing like being a world series contender and relying on a 34 year old who hasn’t pitched in the majors in 6 years
Tampa Bay Dodgers 4 life!!!!!
I would bet on Rubby de la Rosa over Shelby Miller or Alex Reyes.
I wouldn’t bet against Shelby Miller out of the bullpen against those two. I could see him being their seemingly yearly successful BP reclamation project.
Los Karens have been busy!
Los Karens playing off-season small ball.
No me Gusta.
CHRIS Crawford, lol.
Good catch lol.
At least he didn’t write Cindy Crawford.
Actually, Cindy Crawford was probably healthier than Carl at that same age.
And think of how full the LF bleachers would be to watch Cindy play the field.
I was SO confused by that. I was thinking “Man I’m getting old but I am pretty sure AGon was here way before Carl Crawford popped in for a minute”
Rubby! Would love to see him make it back but it’s a long shot.
It’s not as big of a long shot as the Dodgers love cast-offs in their bullpen. He may start at AAA but i wouldn’t be surprised to see him get a callup
What next, they bring back Jerry Sands?
He’s tanned, ready, and rested!
ha nice reference. As a Dodgers fan, I was pretty excited about that guy a few years ago.
Ahhh, Jerry Sands. The Scott Van Slyke of the Edwin Rioses. Or maybe it’s the other way ‘round.
seeing Carl referred to as Chris has to make some sox fans feel good.
We can always tell which articles the newbies write because they make mistakes that Tim Steve mark Anthony wouldn’t make because those guys actually follow the game, and btw a bbref link would have been nice
Chris Crawford is Carl’s maiden name.
This trade doesn’t ‘rubby’ me the wrong way. If he can throw strikes, he’s worth a shot…
It’s pronounced like Ruby though.
Wonder if MLBTR will post about the Dodgers cheating in 2018. Report from Winning Fixes Everything just came out.
There’s nothing really to post about. Its an anonymous source that literally only says i think the dodgers were cheating. there are no details, and no way to corroborate or disprove it, so its a worthless tidbet.
No, it says MLB caught them & did nothing. Are you really this naive?
Chris Tillman not answering his phone?
Vincente Romo did it for the Dodgers in 1982 after being out of mlb for 9 years pitching in the Mexican League. Dont count Rubby out!
Dang, what a blast from the past.
Rubby can’t fail
Chill people. It’s a minor league deal. And once upon a time De La Rosa was an intriguing prospect with good stuff. He was never the same after TJ surgery but has been an effective reliever in Japan. What’s not to like in having bullpen depth ready at AAA in case of injuries?
And down the road, they’ll also sign Jeter Downs.
The DUDgers sure love them Dbacks castoffs.
He’s in our bullpen opening day and I’m loving that idea actually. He’s earned it with those numbers in Japan against extremely good hitters with fast bats. He’ll earn it and readjust to MLB during Spring Training.