SCOTTSDALE -- Then there were three. Rubby De La Rosa was officially announced as the third member of the Arizona Diamondbacks' starting rotation Tuesday, joining Josh Collmenter and Jeremy Hellickson.
The order behind Opening Day starter Collmenter has not been determined, but the D-backs could slot De La Rosa between Collmenter and Hellickson to give opponents extreme different looks on back-to-back-to-back days.
De La Rosa's fastball has registered as high as 99 mph in his five spring appearances.
"Rubby has proven enough to us," D-backs manager Chip Hale said.
"(Pitching coach Mike Harkey and I) have talked a lot about him. He is a difference-maker, being a power guy in our rotation. With Hellickson and Collmenter being more finesse pitchers, he's a nice mix in there. I feel good about him starting for us."
Twelve days before the start of the regular season, six candidates remain for the final two spots -- Chase Anderson, Trevor Cahill, Robbie Ray, Archie Bradley, Daniel Hudson and Allen Webster. Ray is the only left-hander among the group.
The D-backs have said left-handers Vidal Nuno and Andrew Chafin are being looked at as relievers, and there does not appear to be enough time to stretch out Randall Delgado for a possible starting role, although he is expected to make the team because he is out of options. Cuban right-hander Yoan Lopez started Tuesday, but he is expected to open the season in the minor leagues.
Anderson and Cahill appear to be the leading candidates for the final two spots, but the D-backs are not ready to call off the competition. Hudson, returning from two Tommy John surgeries, is being given every opportunity to join the rotation. He said Monday that he wants to be back in a rotation this season or next.
De La Rosa was 0-1 with a 3.75 ERA in four spring training games, giving up seven hits and 10 walks in 12 innings. He struck out 11 and held opponents to a .176 batting average. He made his longest appearance of the spring in a minor league outing Tuesday, going 5 2/3 innings. He gave up two runs on five hits and two walks while striking out seven.
De La Rosa, 26, was 4-8 with a 4.43 ERA in 19 appearances, 18 starts, for Boston last season before being acquired with Webster for Wade Miley in the offseason. He also made five relief appearances with Boston in 2013, two years after undergoing Tommy John surgery.
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