If you've been passing up Rubby De La Rosa all this time, you're not alone. The uncertainty over his role with Felix Doubront and Clay Buchholz due to return from the DL had me hesitant to add him as well, at least in shallower leagues.
But no more. As CBSSports.com Baseball Insider Jon Heyman noted on Friday's Fantasy Baseball Today, the Red Sox will try their darndest to keep De La Rosa in the rotation, even if that means going the six-man route or, as one Red Sox beat writer suggested, moving Jake Peavy to the bullpen.
Doubront has already gotten bumped, so that's one man down.
As for De La Rosa, he can hit 100 mph with his fastball and has a developed enough secondary arsenal to make the most of it. Like most young hard-throwers, his control can get the best of him at times -- or at least it did in the minors. But so far in five big-league starts, it hasn't been an issue. Further demonstrating his dominance, he's gone seven innings or more in three of those starts, allowing a combined nine hits between them.
And he's eligible at relief pitcher, as if you needed another reason to add him in Head-to-Head points leagues.