Royals Calling Up Avila For His First Start, and Wacha's Out With the Flu

The Kansas City Royals are turning to prospect Luinder Avila to make his first major league start Friday night against the Brewers after Michael Wacha got knocked out by illness. This is the kind of move that tests whether a team's depth actually pays off when things get messy in April.

Making Room for the Prospect

Avila is a 24-year-old right-hander the Royals just recalled from Triple-A Omaha. To clear a roster spot, Kansas City put left-hander Bailey Falter on the 15-day injured list with elbow inflammation. It's the kind of domino effect you see early in the season when injuries and illness pile up at the same time.

The kid has some actual big league experience already. He made his debut last season, appearing in 13 games out of the bullpen and giving up two runs on seven hits across 14 innings. Not exactly a stellar line, but he didn't completely implode either, which matters when you're asking a young arm to step into a starting role.

Avila's Pedigree: Venezuela and a Strong Arm

Here's what makes this call-up a little less scary: Avila just pitched for Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic and was lights out. He didn't allow an earned run in two appearances covering 4 and a third innings for a gold medal winning team. That kind of international exposure and success tells you something about how scouts view his ceiling.

The Royals actually have some depth to work with here. While Avila takes the ball Friday, fellow starters Ryan Bergert and Ben Kudrna are still pitching down in Omaha. That means Kansas City had the luxury of keeping their top arms intact last offseason instead of trying to swing a trade to shore up the offense. Now that decision looks pretty smart, because depth is bailing them out this early.

The Rest of the Weekend

Seth Lugo gets Saturday and Kris Bubic pitches Sunday. It's a manageable weekend rotation if Avila can give them five solid innings Friday and set the tone early.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.