The Baltimore Orioles are interested in Rockies starting pitcher Jorge De La Rosa, according to the Baltimore Sun's Dan Connolly and others.
#Orioles have been looking for a starting P upgrade, and one guy they have been monitoring is Rockies LHP Jorge De La Rosa, source says
— Dan Connolly (@danconnollysun) July 9, 2014
Connolly also reports that the Rockies would be looking for minor league pitching depth in exchange for De La Rosa, something the Orioles have.
De La Rosa will be a free agent after the 2014 season and is making $11 million this season, so the Rockies may look to get something in return for him rather than risk losing him for nothing. However, FOX's Ken Rosenthal reports that the Rockies may try to re-sign De La Rosa even if they do trade him this month.
However, #Rockies might prefer to extend qualifying offer to De La Rosa, a potential free agent. They will weigh return in trade against…
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 10, 2014
value of keeping De La Rosa. #Rockies could trade De La Rosa, then try to re-sign him, but fear that once they sever ties, he would move on.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 10, 2014
However, the team may be hesitant to trade De La Rosa given that he has been their lone consistent starter in 2014 and has been perhaps the most consistent starter in franchise history. Rockies owner Dick Monfort also mentioned that the team may look to add a pitcher at the deadline, not trade one away.
Baltimore also traded for a veteran arm at last season's trade deadline in Houston's Bud Norris. In that deal, the Orioles gave up outfielder L.J. Hoes, minor league pitcher Josh Hader and a competitive balance pick. The Rockies could expect a similar return for De La Rosa, with a deal perhaps centered around 2013 first-round pick Hunter Harvey or second baseman Jonathan Schoop.
Given the Rockies' current position in the standings, trading De La Rosa would seem to be a logical move, and he makes sense as a target for Baltimore. However, given what we've heard from the Rockies' brass lately, it seems they would have to be overwhelmed by an offer for a deal to happen.