The Kansas City Royals avoided a sweep by the Washington Nationals on Wednesday, winning the series finale 6-2.
While the offense took control early with solo home runs from Carter Jensen, Lane Thomas, John Rave and Michael Massey, the pitching staff did its part as well.
One pitcher in particular bounced back with a strong outing after struggling in his previous appearance.
Luinder Avila gave the Nationals trouble on Wednesday
Before Wednesday, Royals rookie pitcher Luinder Avila was coming off a rough outing. The 24-year-old took the mound against the Houston Astros on Friday, but the start did not go as planned.
It’s safe to say it was an outing Avila would rather forget. He recorded just two outs, allowing eight earned runs on five hits, including two home runs, in just two-thirds of an inning.
He also walked three batters and did not record a single strikeout.
This was the worst start of Avila’s young career, so many were intrigued to see how he would respond.
Wednesday made it clear that Avila did not let the rough outing affect him. He tossed 5 2/3 innings against the Nationals, allowing just one earned run on three hits. He also walked one batter and struck out five.
Seeing this type of performance from the rookie is encouraging. The ability to put a poor outing behind you and bounce back is an important trait for pitchers at this level, and Avila demonstrated that on Wednesday.
The Royals’ rotation has been plagued by injuries to two key arms. Adding to those concerns, Kansas City announced Wednesday that Cole Ragans had been transferred to the 60-day injured list, dealing another significant blow to the pitching staff.
Kris Bubic also remains sidelined, as his injury rehab has encountered some setbacks.
With two key arms currently sidelined, more opportunities should open up for Avila. Whether his long-term role is in the rotation or the bullpen remains to be seen, but for now, the Royals need him in their starting rotation.
The rookie has plenty of potential thanks to his velocity and deep pitch mix. His average fastball velocity of 96.4 mph, according to Statcast, paired with a five-pitch arsenal, gives hitters plenty to think about at the plate.
It will be intriguing to watch Avila as the season progresses and he continues to take the mound more frequently.
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