Although Carl Crawford underwent Tommy John
surgery last week, the Red Sox managed to unload his contract onto the Dodgers.
But in the process, the Red Sox inherited another player who recently went under the knife.
Pitcher Rubby De La Rosa — one of two players to be named later that the Dodgers will send to Boston this offseason — is recovering from his own bout with Tommy John surgery. The hurler tossed 12 scoreless frames in the minors and, most recently, pitched one game in the majors.
Before blowing out his elbow, De La Rosa left a strong
impression on then-Dodgers teammate and current Red Sox reliever Vicente Padilla. Reflecting on those days, from 2010 to 2011, Padilla believes Boston has a young gem on its hands.
“I haven’t seen him throw after Tommy John surgery, but the kid’s got talent,” Padilla told NESN.com in a Spanish-speaking interview. “He’s a starter-type guy who throws 98-99 miles per hour and it was a great grab. He throws heat and I think it’s a great move for the organization.”
De La Rosa, 23, posted a 4-5 record and 3.71 ERA in 10 starts last season, to go along with 60 strikeouts in 60 2/3 innings. In his lone major league appearance this season, however, De La Rosa allowed two earned runs in 2/3 of an inning in relief.
The Red Sox will wait until the offseason to receive him, considering that the pitcher was pulled off waivers following a claim by Toronto. For now, it’s likely the Dodgers will shut him down for the season to preserve his health.
Despite De La Rosa’s impending hiatus, Padilla expects him to make an easy transition to the big leagues.
“He’s mature,” Padilla said. “For a young guy, he doesn’t behave or think like one. He handles himself like a guy who knows what he’s doing and wants to do whatever he can to keep getting better.”
De La Rosa will certainly play a role in the Red Sox’ rebuilding efforts.
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