Six months ago, it would have been unimaginable that such a world existed. A minor leaguer who worried about making a living daily, and who didn't know when he would step onto the mound, is now showing himself as the top foreign pitcher in Korean professional baseball.
The KBO announced on June 8 that it has selected Gamboa as the MVP for June. He is the first player of Lotte to receive this honor since Na Gyun-an in April 2023. As a replacement foreign player who joined mid-season, he is the second since William Cuevas of KT in August 2023.
Looking at Gamboa's performance in June, it was clear that he deserved the award and received overwhelming votes. He started his first appearance on June 3 against Kiwoom with a stellar performance of 7 innings, allowing only 2 hits, 1 walk, and striking out 6, finishing with no earned runs. He became the winning pitcher in all 5 games he appeared in during June, finishing with a perfect record of 5 wins and an earned run average of 1.72 (6 earned runs in 31⅓ innings).
Gamboa received 30 out of 35 votes from the press and also garnered 105,152 votes out of 429,664 from fans, totaling 55.09 points, surpassing KIA's Jeon Sang-hyun, who had 1 vote from the press, 211,595 fan votes, and a total of 26.05 points.
Immediately after the award announcement, Gamboa met with reporters at Sajik Stadium in Busan on June 8 and said, "I'm really happy and honored. I'm very grateful that so many reporters voted for me. I've confirmed that I've received more votes than other players. I'm extremely thankful." Wearing the Lotte uniform in place of veteran foreign player Charlie Barnes, who was diagnosed with shoulder damage, Gamboa had a challenging debut on May 27 against Samsung in Daegu, where he recorded 4⅔ innings with 5 hits, 1 walk, and 4 earned runs, taking the loss. He also allowed a triple steal, revealing his 'folding greeting' routine of bending at the waist with runners on base. However, he quickly awakened after that and became a dominating foreign pitcher in the KBO League.
His fastball reaches up to 158 km/h, coming from a high release point with many rotations to the batter. The vertical movement is among the best in the league. Gamboa's pitches are such that even if batters understand them, they can't hit them. His stamina is remarkable as well, as he can still throw pitches in the mid-150 km/h range with nearly 100 pitches in the 6th and 7th innings, fulfilling the role of an innings-eater ace.
Regarding why he could adapt so quickly to the Korean stage, Gamboa said, "I can't determine exactly why, but I generally have a good adaptability to new places. I think the KBO certified ball fits well in my hand. That's why I was able to adapt quickly." He noted that the KBO ball sticks to his hand better than the balls used in Major League Baseball (MLB) and that their seams are more pronounced. Thanks to that, Gamboa is evolving into a top pitcher who combines a powerful fastball with superb control.
Gamboa was drafted in the 9th round by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2019, nurturing his dream of becoming a major leaguer. However, the Dodgers were the last year's World Series champions and were exceptional in developing prospects. Earlier this year, ESPN ranked their farm system as the best, while MLB Pipeline ranked it 4th, indicating the quality of their prospects.
Gamboa was one of many prospects in the Dodgers organization. He mentioned, "The Dodgers roster is tight. I thought it would be hard to break through." He reflected, "When I was in the Dodgers' minor league, I often didn't know what role I would have when reporting to the ballpark. So, I would be notified on the fly what role I had when I showed up. My position changed daily, and my standing and identity were naturally unstable.
Naturally, the poor financial situation of being a minor leaguer followed. Coincidentally, last winter, Gamboa posted on his social media about a side job washing cars. He was facing practical problems as his minor league career extended. He recalled, "There were financial difficulties. I was living with my brothers at home, and I needed an income. So, I sought to earn money through car washing. I also enjoy washing cars."
But with Lotte, he doesn't have to worry about those things. He can focus exclusively on baseball without concerns regarding his position, standing, or financial issues. He is being treated well as a starting pitcher and is regarded as an ace.
He said, "It's my first time having a proper starting routine and rotating every six days. Now, I can maintain a proper routine while rotating, which allows me to manage my body well, providing a chance to show good performance." He continued, "I am really grateful to the Lotte Giants for giving me this starting role. I am receiving a much better role than I had with my previous team, so I will always be grateful and work hard."
Gamboa's move to Lotte has changed his life. Now, he needs to pitch more innings in the second half for Lotte's postseason. Though he concluded the first half with tightness in his left forearm muscles, everyone expects a more overwhelming second half. He himself pledged, "I will manage my body well to be able to pitch better in the second half after taking enough rest during the All-Star break."
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