Born in La Romana, Dominican Republic, he developed as a ballplayer around the San Pedro de Macoris area, a hotbed of future Major League talent at the time. He signed with Toronto Blue Jays scout Epy Guerrero in 1985, and spent one season with the GCL Blue Jays, in which he went 0–1 with a 5.52 earned run average in 16 relief appearances, before being released by Toronto.\n', '

De la Rosa joined the Baltimore Orioles organization in 1988, and went 3–4 with a 4.61 ERA for the Hagerstown Suns of the Carolina League. Though he had been used primarily as a reliever, he was converted to a starter with Hagerstown in 1990, now of the double A Eastern League. In that role, De la Rosa was 9–5 with a 2.06 ERA.\n', '

After compiling a 4–1 record with a 2.67 ERA for the triple A Rochester Red Wings in 1991, De la Rosa received a September call-up to the Orioles, making his Major League debut on September 7 against the Kansas City Royals. Inheriting a bases loaded, two out situation, he retired Bill Pecota on a fly ball to left to end the eighth inning. He then loaded the bases himself in the ninth before escaping the inning without giving up a run.\n', '

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