The Rockies on Wednesday acquired 28-year-old right-hander Jair Jurrjens from the Reds in exchange for Double-A first baseman Harold Riggins, according to a team announcement.
Jurrjens, who was a National League All-Star in 2011, owns a 4.46 ERA with 27 strikeouts and 13 walks in 34⅓ innings for the Reds' Triple-A affiliate in Louisville. The native of Curacao last pitched in the big leagues in the first half of last season, when he appeared in two games for the Orioles and allowed four runs on nine hits in 7⅓ frames.
While with the Braves from 2008 through 2012, Jurrjens had a pretty successful four-year stretch, going 47-32 with a 3.34 ERA during that time despite owning a near-average walk rate while striking out only six batters per nine innings. However, the wheels fell off in his fifth and final year in Atlanta, going 3-4 with a 6.89 ERA in 11 games before being non-tendered in the offseason.
The Rockies shouldn't expect much from Jurrjens, though he is still relatively young and without a lot of mileage on his arm. He's not being picked up to take a permanent spot in the rotation, despite the contrary cries of jaded fans all over the Internet. Jurrjens is a warm body with an arm firmly attached to his shoulder, and that's precisely what the Rockies need to get them through the next month or so to allow them to avoid making a rash decision like prematurely calling up Jon Gray or Tyler Anderson. It's better to throw Jurrjens into the dumpster fire that is the Rockies' major league rotation than to risk the development of one or both of the remaining hurlers from Tulsa's Opening Day rotation.
Jurrjens will begin his time in the Rockies organization with the Sky Sox, according to Nick Groke of the Denver Post, but it likely won't be long until he winds up in the big league rotation, which is currently comprised of five left-handers.
Riggins will head to Cincinnati after four years in the Rockies organization. The 24-year-old right-handed hitter posted a .263/.351/.447 line with seven home runs in 205 plate appearances for Tulsa this season.