Source: Orioles sign RHP Duchscherer
The Orioles added to their rotation Sunday, reaching agreement with free-agent right-hander Justin Duchscherer on a one-year contract, according to a major league source.
The deal, pending a physical, includes a $700,000 base salary and incentives that can bring the total package to $4.5 million, according to The Baltimore Sun.
While Duchscherer has made all but 32 of his 224 career appearances in relief, the Orioles envision him as a starter. Duchscherer, who missed all of 2009 and most of 2010 because of elbow and hip surgeries, has gained 15 pounds and looked "real sharp" in a recent bullpen session, a second source said.
Duchscherer, a 2008 All-Star, will add veteran depth to the Orioles' young rotation. Right-hander Jeremy Guthrie is the Orioles' only starter with significant major league experience.