GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Right-hander Rubby De La Rosa has not been named to the Diamondbacks' starting rotation, although it seems probable. But whenever De La Rosa gets the ball, he will get an extended look.
"He hasn't pitched yet like we think he is going to pitch, but we think he is at the point in his career where he is a major league guy and he needs to get it done at this level," D-backs manager Chip Hale said.
"We're challenging him to be more consistent. Here's your chance."
De La Rosa, 26, logged 101 2-3 innings with Boston last season, his first extended stay in a major league rotation. He was 4-8 with a 4.43 ERA. His WHIP was 1.49, however, and he has walked 10 in 12 innings this spring while hitting 99 mph on the radar gun. He has 11 strikeouts.
"His tempo has been good on the mound. He's kept the game going even when he has been erratic," Hale said.
Catcher Tuffy Gosewisch would be "the lead dog" if he and Gerald Laird break camp with the D-backs, Hale said, but Brett Lalli and Jordan Pacheco remain in the mix. "I don't think we are ready to name a stater, because it's not fair," Hale said. Gosewisch is considered the most likely to be able to handle a 120-game workload at this stage. Of Lalli and Pacheco, Hale said, "both guys are in the mix as the backup catcher and as a guy on the roster. We have some spots on there." . . . A published report by Peter Gammons that said Hale has made it clear that Nick Ahmed is his starting shortstop is inaccurate at this point, Hale said. "(Ahmed) has impressed us. We are very excited about his play at shortstop, and with the bat," Hale said. "To name him the starter is hard to do, because we still have camp left. So I'm not ready to do that." . . . Starting candidate Robbie Ray hit 97 mph in his start on Sunday, and with left-handers at a premium, the D-backs could consider him for a bullpen role while keeping starting as the long-term plan. "His arm could play anywhere," Hale said. "We haven't talked about yet. For me, he needs to stay starting, whether it is here, Triple-A, Double-A, wherever it is. He needs to keep developing that stuff he has." GM Dave Stewart: "If it helps our bullpen to be better and our team to be better, we have to look at him in any way we can." . . . Stewart repeated -- again -- that the D-backs are not in the market for catcher Dioner Navarro, despite recent reports that surfaced again in Toronto. "We can't take on the money," Stewart said. The D-backs months ago looked into Navarro, who is to make $5 million this season. . . . Former D-backs second baseman Orlando Hudson will spend the next week in the D-backs' camp as a guest coach. "I thought his energy would be good for us in spring training," Hale said. "He's a good baseball guy." Hudson, who last played in the major leagues in 2012, hit .273 in 13 games with Mazatlan in the Mexican League this winter. . . . Vidal Nuno is to start the D-backs' "B" game against the Cubs at Sloan Park. ... The D-backs have their only off day of the spring Wednesday.
Daniel Hudson: Hudson threw a lot of off-speed pitches in his fourth outing of the spring Monday. He worked three innings, his longest appearance, and threw 49 pitches, 30 strikes, while giving up two runs. The only well-hit ball was Jimmy Rollins' RBI triple to right-center field in a two-run third.
"It's no secret I want to get back to being in the rotation at some point, whether that is this year or next year, whenever, it is fine," Hudson said. "Everything is feeling good, knock on wood. Just keep going out and progressing from there."
The next step is up to Hudson. "We'll see how his arm feels," Hale said." Do we take the next step to four innings or do we peel it back to two?"
Closer Addison Reed is scheduled to pitch in the "B" game against the Cubs at Sloan Park on Monday. It will be his first time off a mound since he suffered shoulder soreness in pre-camp workouts. . . . Patrick Corbin is expected to throw a bullpen session Tuesday morning, almost exactly a year after his Tommy John surgery. The D-backs have plotted a possible June return if there are no setbacks. . . . David Hernandez also is expected to throw a bullpen session Tuesday, his first appearance on a mound since his Tommy John surgery last April 1.
Diamondbacks vs. Milwaukee Brewers: Salt River Fields, 6:40 p.m.
Probable pitchers: Diamondbacks -- RHP Yoan Lopez, RHP Enrique Burgos, RHP A.J. Schugel, LHP Oliver Perez, LHP Dan Runzler. Brewers -- RHP Michael Blazek, RHP Chris Perez, RHP Rob Wooten
