As first reported by Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun, the Orioles have agreed to terms on a minor league contract with veteran left-handed reliever Hideki Okajima. The deal does not come with an invitation to major league camp.
Most figured Okajima was done with baseball in the United States when he returned to his native Japan after appearing in just five games with the Oakland Athletics during the 2013 season. But the 40-year-old southpaw wants to give it another run.
Okajima posted a cool 3.09 ERA in 250 1/3 innings between the Red Sox and A’s from 2007-2013, holding left-handed batters to a .223/.281/.333 slash line.
He will operate as organizational lefty relief depth for the O’s.
