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The Rockies have agreed to a two-year contract extension with left-hander Jorge De La Rosa, according to a team announcement. The deal is worth $25 million, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com, and will pay De La Rosa $12.5 million in each season, according to major league sources.
De La Rosa, 33, was slated to become a free agent this winter after posting a 13-10 record and 4.26 ERA in 28 starts with Colorado on the season. He would have likely been in the second tier of free agent pitchers behind stars like Max Scherzer, Jon Lester and James Shields, but still was likely to command a multi-year deal for a team that was looking for rotation help. The Orioles and Yankees had interest in the southpaw at the trade deadline and were likely to pursue him in free agency, but now will not get the chance.
Colorado's rotation still has many question marks for next season, with Brett Anderson and Tyler Chatwood coming back from injuries and young pitchers like Christian Bergman, Tyler Matzek and Jordan Lyles returning after being mainstays in the rotation this season. Top prospects Jon Gray and Eddie Butler will likely be in the mix as well, along with Franklin Morales and any additions that the club makes this offseason.
In eleven major league seasons with the Brewers (2004-2006), Royals (2006-2007), and Rockies (2008-2014), De La Rosa is the owner of a lifetime 83-67 record and 4.64 ERA in 249 appearances (187 starts). His $12.5 million average annual value is in line with deals obtained by free agent starters Matt Garza, Ubaldo Jimenez and Ricky Nolasco last season, though each of those pitchers is younger than De La Rosa and commanded four-year contracts.