Baltimore Orioles: 3 free agent pitchers the Orioles should consider
3. Jorge De La Rosa
Arguably the best option of the three, southpaw Jorge De La Rosa has experience pitching consistently in a hitter friendly ballpark like Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Also, in an already overpopulated right-handed rotation, De La Rosa can join Miley as the only two lefties in the starting rotation.
De La Rosa is still one of the available starting pitchers on the free-agent market due to his dissatisfying 2016 season when he won eight games and lost nine in 24 starts with the Rockies, including an exalted 5.51 ERA.Despite his fall off last year, De La Rosa combined for 39 wins in a three-year stretch from 2012 to 2015 with the Rockies.
Back in December, De La Rosa has increased his free agent market value by reporting to teams that he is available to pitch as a long to middle reliever according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. The Baltimore Orioles could knock out two birds with one stone by adding De La Rosa, who could fill in for Tillman, along with spot starts throughout the season and work in the bullpen when needed.
De La Rosa concluded his nine-year career in Colorado with respectful numbers for a pitcher who often pitches at Coors Field.
| Year | Tm | W | L | ERA | G | GS | IP | H | HR | BB | SO | H9 | HR9 | BB9 | SO9 | SO/W |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | COL | 10 | 8 | 4.92 | 28 | 23 | 130.0 | 128 | 13 | 62 | 128 | 8.9 | 0.9 | 4.3 | 8.9 | 2.06 |
| 2009 | COL | 16 | 9 | 4.38 | 33 | 32 | 185.0 | 172 | 20 | 83 | 193 | 8.4 | 1.0 | 4.0 | 9.4 | 2.33 |
| 2010 | COL | 8 | 7 | 4.22 | 20 | 20 | 121.2 | 105 | 15 | 55 | 113 | 7.8 | 1.1 | 4.1 | 8.4 | 2.05 |
| 2011 | COL | 5 | 2 | 3.51 | 10 | 10 | 59.0 | 48 | 4 | 22 | 52 | 7.3 | 0.6 | 3.4 | 7.9 | 2.36 |
| 2012 | COL | 0 | 2 | 9.28 | 3 | 3 | 10.2 | 17 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 14.3 | 4.2 | 1.7 | 5.1 | 3.00 |
| 2013 | COL | 16 | 6 | 3.49 | 30 | 30 | 167.2 | 170 | 11 | 62 | 112 | 9.1 | 0.6 | 3.3 | 6.0 | 1.81 |
| 2014 | COL | 14 | 11 | 4.10 | 32 | 32 | 184.1 | 161 | 21 | 67 | 139 | 7.9 | 1.0 | 3.3 | 6.8 | 2.07 |
| 2015 | COL | 9 | 7 | 4.17 | 26 | 26 | 149.0 | 137 | 17 | 65 | 134 | 8.3 | 1.0 | 3.9 | 8.1 | 2.06 |
| 2016 | COL | 8 | 9 | 5.51 | 27 | 24 | 134.0 | 157 | 23 | 63 | 108 | 10.5 | 1.5 | 4.2 | 7.3 | 1.71 |
| COL (9 yrs) | 86 | 61 | 4.35 | 209 | 200 | 1141.1 | 1095 | 129 | 481 | 985 | 8.6 | 1.0 | 3.8 | 7.8 | 2.05 |
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
As a Rockie, De La Rosa posted an efficient 4.35 ERA and despite his rise in ERA last season, history reveals that his ERA usually trends downward following a season with an unusually high ERA.
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For the Baltimore Orioles to sign the free-agent lefty, he must still be available until the end of the month because we all know the overly patient Duquette isn’t the one to make quickly acquire a free agent.