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Diamondbacks shut down Rubby De La Rosa for the year

It was not a long return for the beleaguered Diamondbacks starter.

Arizona Diamondbacks v Pittsburgh Pirates Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images

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.