The Chicago Cubs have signed left-handed pitcher Jorge De La Rosa to a 2018 major league deal. To make room for De La Rosa on the 25-man roster, left-handed pitcher Randy Rosario has been optioned to Triple-A Iowa.
De La Rosa, who will wear uniform number 29, will be available for the Cubs this afternoon when they begin a three-game series against the Washington Nationals at Wrigley Field.
To make room for De La Rosa on the 40-man roster, right-handed pitcher Yu Darvish has been transferred to the 60-day disabled list.
De La Rosa, 37, went 0-2 with six holds and a 4.63 ERA (18 ER/35.0 IP) in 42 relief appearances with Arizona this season. His 2018 season has been marred by one outing on July 11 in Colorado when he allowed seven runs in 1.2 innings of relief. De La Rosa has turned in a 2.97 ERA (11 ER/33.1 IP) in his other 41 outings this year. He has pitched scoreless ball in 32 of 42 outings and allowed one run or fewer in 39 of his 42 appearances. Overall, De La Rosa has limited left-handed hitters to a .220 average (13-for-59) this year.
The lefthander has spent all or part of 15 seasons in the majors with four different clubs, going 104-87 with 29 holds and a 4.63 ERA (772 ER/1,501.2 IP) in 413 appearances, including 241 starts, with Milwaukee (2004-06), Kansas City (2006-07), Colorado (2008-16) and Arizona (2017-18).
De La Rosa has pitched exclusively in relief with the Diamondbacks the past two seasons (107 appearances) after seeing 241 of his first 306 outings in his first 13 big league seasons occur as a starter.
Rosario, 24, is 4-0 with seven holds and a 3.00 ERA (11 ER/33.0 IP) in 28 relief appearances with the Cubs this season. With Iowa, he has no record and a 0.46 ERA (1 ER/19.2 IP) in 12 outings.
