Diamondbacks shut down Rubby De La Rosa for the year

One week.

That’s how long Arizona starter Rubby De La Rosa got to experience the 2016 baseball since coming off the 60-day disabled list on September 9.

Having suffered a sprained ulnar collateral ligament, De La Rosa and the D-Backs have proceeded with caution through his rehab, as this particular injury has often served as a precursor to Tommy John surgery.

After being eased into a 30-pitch appearance with Single-A Visalia, and worrying everyone with a brief bout of forearm tightness, De La Rosa was given the green light to make a start on September 9 against Madison Bumgarner and the Giants. He threw 43 pitches in 2 IP, striking out three, walking two, and allowing one hit and one earned run. Encouraged by the blip of success, Arizona let De La Rosa make a second start on September 14 against the Rockies, in which he lasted only one inning, threw 45 pitches, allowed three walks and a home run with two strikeouts.

Those three innings of work were enough for manager Chip Hale to form a confident opinion on De La Rosa’s effectiveness, and while the 27-year-old will continue to throw this year, it will not be from a pitcher’s mound during a game. He ends the season having made 13 appearances and 10 starts - none between May 25 and September 9 - and logged a 4.26 ERA, 1.243 WHIP, 9.6 SO/9 and 2.70 SO/W. Some of his best work came on April 28 against the Cardinals, when he tossed seven shut-out innings and allowed only two hits, striking out ten. De La Rosa is currently on a one-year, $2.35 million deal with the Diamondbacks.