The all-time wins leader for the Colorado Rockies has now secured his place in Mexican baseball history.
Left-handed pitcher Jorge de la Rosa, the Rockies’ franchise leader in victories, was inducted into the Mexican Professional Baseball Hall of Fame last week. De la Rosa expressed surprise at being selected in his first year of eligibility and was deeply moved by the response from fans in his home country.
“It’s surprising to get in on the first try, because there are so many great players,” said De la Rosa, who attended the ceremony in Monterrey. “It’s an honor for me to be among the best players in Mexico.”
“When I arrived at the ceremony, I was shocked—people started coming up for autographs, and many even knew my career numbers,” he added.
De la Rosa joins former third baseman Vinny Castilla as the second player who spent most of his career with the Rockies to receive this distinction in Mexico. Given Denver’s notorious altitude and its effect on pitchers, De la Rosa understands that such recognition for a Rockies pitcher is especially meaningful.
“I pitched for many teams, but when they asked, ‘Which jersey do you want to wear when you enter?’ I immediately said, ‘Rockies,’” he shared. “That’s the team I love, and I’ll always be grateful for the opportunities they gave me.”
During nine seasons with Colorado (2008–2016), De la Rosa recorded an 86–61 record with a 4.35 ERA in 209 games (200 starts). He also ranks second in strikeouts (985), fourth in innings pitched (1,141.1), and fourth in WAR for pitchers (15.5) according to Baseball-Reference.
A native of Monterrey, De la Rosa once dreamed of being a quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys, but he found his true calling in baseball. His professional path was far from straightforward — he played in the minors for the Diamondbacks, Monterrey, and the Red Sox, who later sent him back to Arizona in the Curt Schilling trade. He made his MLB debut with the Milwaukee Brewers (2004–2006) and later pitched for the Kansas City Royals (2006–2007).
After joining the Rockies in early 2008 — as the player to be named later in a trade that sent reliever Ramón Ramírez to the Royals — De la Rosa began to hit his stride.
“When I arrived, they saw potential in me, especially Bob Apodaca (then pitching coach) and Marcel Lachemann (pitching coach and advisor),” De la Rosa said. “They worked with me on so many things — mentally and mechanically — to help me become the pitcher I was. I give them a lot of credit. They gave me chances and were patient with me. At first, it wasn’t easy, but they kept helping me. Eventually, the results came.”
De la Rosa finished his MLB career with stints at the Diamondbacks (2017–2018) and Cubs (2018).
Also inducted alongside him was Ismael Valdez for his MLB career, as well as Francisco Campos, Roberto Saucedo, Roberto “Metralleta” Ramírez, and Óscar Robles, who were honored for their accomplishments in Mexican baseball. Additionally, Enrique Mazón Rubio, former president of the Naranjeros de Hermosillo, was recognized for his contributions to the sport.