Then his cellphone buzzed. It was Omaha manager Brian Poldberg.
"He said, 'You're going to the big leagues,'" Alburquerque said. "I said, 'Thank you!'"
That call certainly beat anything the roulette wheel had to offer.
"He had a really good spring," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "And he was pitching pretty well at Omaha, so hopefully he's a good addition to our bullpen."
It has been a long journey back to the big leagues for Alburquerque, who will turn 31 next month.
Alburquerque, who is from the Dominican Republic, signed with the Cubs as a 16-year-old.