Chicago Cubs: Cubs add to already strong bullpen with Jorge De La Rosa

Heading into the season, the Chicago Cubs boasted one of the best bullpens in the game. Now, with reinforcements in-tow, they’re more loaded than ever.

Despite featuring the likes of arms including Pedro Strop, Brandon Morrow, Justin Wilson and Carl Edwards, the Chicago Cubs refused to stand pat at the trade deadline. Theo Epstein went out and added Jesse Chavez and Brandon Kintzler – in addition to Cole Hamels.

And, even then, the Cubs weren’t done. Chicago picked up 37-year-old left-hander Jorge De La Rosa, recently released by the Arizona Diamondbacks. With a career 4.62 ERA – including a 4.63 mark with a 5.55 FIP this season – the move, at first glance, may not make much sense.

But, for the Cubs, who badly lack left-handed depth in the bullpen, it made a lot of sense.

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“We were just trying to augment that left-handed side coming out of the bullpen,” manager Joe Maddon said. “Plenty of experience. He hasn’t pitched in several days. He’s definitely ready to go. It creates more depth.”

There’s reason for optimism

While his initial numbers aren’t exactly awe-inspiring, last year he was serviceable in Denver. The converted starter pitched to a 4.21 ERA, a 1.205 WHIP, and a 4.58 WHIP.  His numbers this season are inflated by one bad game against the Colorado Rockies when he gave up seven runs.  His ERA minus that game is  2.97.

Perhaps, more importantly, De La Rosa is keeping the ball down and inducing groundballs at a 51.9 percent rate, compared to 28.3 percent rate for flyballs.  His soft contact to hard contact rate is slightly worse this year but not disastrously so.  His strength is pitching to lefties so hopefully, all of his numbers will improve as Maddon slots him into games according to matchups.

He got his first taste of action Saturday in a lopsided loss at Wrigley Field. The southpaw turned in 1 1/3 innings in relief of Jon Lester, recording all four outs via the strikeout.

Shuffling the roster to make space

The addition of De La Rosa meant that Randy Rosario returned to Triple-A Iowa.  Rosario, acquired from the Minnesota Twins off waivers over the winter, has been a pleasant surprise this year.  In the first half of 2018, he posted a 1.95 ERA  and 1.265 WHIP over 27 2/3 innings in relief.

However, the second half hasn’t been as kind to the 24-year-old. He carries an 8.55 ERA in 5 1/3 innings, to go along with a 2.813 WHIP.  Nonetheless, I think Cubs fans can expect to see much more from the young Rosario.  He’s under team control through 2023 and isn’t arbitration eligible until 2021.  The future could be very bright indeed for the lefty reliever.

The recent additions to a bullpen headed by Carl Edwards, Jr., Pedro Strop and Steve Cishek, make this group formidable heading into the last weeks of the season and the postseason.  The return of Brandon Morrow and the possible addition of Drew Smyly could make this group nearly unbeatable. Now we just have to see if De La Rosa can dance.