Jorge De La Rosa is a Mexican former professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 16 seasons. He began his career in 1998 when he was signed as an amateur free agent by the Arizona Diamondbacks. However, he did not make his MLB debut until 2004 when he was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers.
De La Rosa struggled in his first few seasons in the majors, bouncing around between the Brewers, Kansas City Royals, and Colorado Rockies. However, he found his stride in 2008 when he became a full-time starter for the Rockies. That year, he posted a 16-9 record with a 4.38 ERA and helped lead the team to the World Series.
Over the next several seasons, De La Rosa established himself as one of the Rockies' most reliable starters. He had a career year in 2013 when he went 16-6 with a 3.49 ERA and was named to the National League All-Star team. He also set a franchise record for strikeouts in a single season with 198.
De La Rosa's success on the mound was due in part to his ability to keep hitters off balance with a variety of pitches. He had a fastball that topped out in the mid-90s, as well as a slider, curveball, and changeup. He also had a deceptive delivery that made it difficult for batters to pick up the ball out of his hand.
Despite his success, De La Rosa battled injuries throughout his career. He underwent Tommy John surgery in 2011 and missed most of the 2012 season as a result. He also dealt with shoulder and groin injuries at various points in his career.
De La Rosa's final season in the majors came in 2018 when he pitched for the Arizona Diamondbacks. He appeared in 42 games that year, mostly out of the bullpen, and had a 4.63 ERA. He became a free agent after the season and did not sign with another team.
Overall, De La Rosa had a solid career in the majors. He finished with a record of 104-87 and a 4.63 ERA. He also struck out 1,287 batters in 1,622 innings pitched. While he never won a Cy Young Award or made an All-Star team, he was a reliable starter for several teams over the course of his career.
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