The Orioles have signed right-hander Eddie Gamboa to a major league deal, placing him on the organization's 40-man roster.
Gamboa, 29, has pitched in the Orioles organization since 2008, but he became a free agent at the end of this past season. He was in major league spring training last season, but he never has pitched in a major league game.
Gamboa's career gained momentum after he began a conversion to becoming a knuckleball pitcher in 2013.
His transition has been a progression, and the Orioles hope that his third year throwing the knuckleball can yield some rewards. Other clubs also were intrigued, according to an industry source, so the Orioles offered Gamboa a major league deal in order to keep him in the organization.
Gamboa is currently pitching well in winter ball in Mexico, where he is 4-2 with a 1.33 ERA in eight starts, posting 49 strikeouts and just six walks in 54 innings.
Gamboa went 5-7 with a 3.81 ERA over 19 appearances (17 starts) between Triple-A Norfolk and Double-A Bowie in 2014.
He began the season in Norfolk, going 4-5 with a 4.06 ERA in 14 games, but his season was sidetracked by a 50-game suspension after a failed drug test for testosterone. When he returned, he joined Bowie, where he went 1-2 with a 3.19 ERA in five starts.
The addition of Gamboa fills the Orioles' 40-man roster. He was placed on the 40-man roster last season but was removed at the tender deadline and later signed to a minor league deal.
In this situation, Gamboa could be removed from the 40-man roster after next week's Rule 5 draft, but he still would earn major league money.
Even though the Orioles' 40-man roster is at capacity, there are several players who could come off, such as infielder Steve Lombardozzi and recently added left-hander Patrick McCoy.
eencina@baltsun.com
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