The Washington Nationals re-signed outfielder Andrew Stevenson and veteran left-hander Luis Avilan on Monday. Stevenson avoided arbitration and stands to earn a modest raise from his 2021 salary of $579,100. The 27-year-old remains the team's fourth outfielder, but both he and the Nationals will be hoping for more production in 2022 after he slashed .229/.294/.339 with five home runs and 23 RBI over 213 plate appearances last season. He hit just .184 with a .248 on-base percentage in 136 plate appearances as a starter compared to .319 with a .794 OPS and four of his five homers off the bench. Avilan appeared in only four games last year before needing Tommy John surgery on his elbow.
Washington Nationals relief pitcher Luis Avilan (UCL) has undergone Tommy John surgery, according to Jessica Camerato of MLB.com. Manager Dave Martinez confirmed Avilan had undergone surgery after suffering a UCL tear two weeks ago, and added that Avilan is focusing on a return to baseball now. Avilan ends the 2021 season with a 0-1 record and 12.60 ERA, with four strikeouts in five innings of work.
Washington Nationals relief pitcher Luis Avilan (elbow) has a torn ulnar collateral ligament and will likely require Tommy John surgery, according to Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post. Avilan had made two appearances this week, throwing 38 pitches on Tuesday and 39 pitches on Thursday both of which were his highest pitch totals in an outing since 2017. He reported pain in his elbow after the second appearance, and had been placed on the 10-day injured list with what was originally reported as left elbow inflammation. Avilan had struggled in limited appearances since 2019, and this year he had posted a 12.60 ERA with four strikeouts in five innings of work.
Washington Nationals pitchers Paolo Espino and Luis Avilan could be used as openers this season. Manager Davey Martinez is worried about putting too many innings on pitcher Stephen Strasburg, who only threw five innings in 2020, and potential fifth starter Joe Ross, who threw zero. It doesn't sound like Strasburg or Ross would be used as a follower, but rather that Espino and Avilan would start bullpen games to spread out those Strasburg and Ross starts. Nobody's fantasy value is terribly affected by this news, except maybe in that Strasburg and Ross won't be throwing nearly 200 innings this year, but it means you won't want to just assume that they will be starting five days after their last appearance.
The Philadelphia Phillies non-tendered first baseman Justin Bour and relief pitcher Luis Avilan on Friday, making them both free agents. Bour hit only .224 with a home run and five RBI in 49 at-bats as a bench option after being traded over from the Marlins last year. He hit .227 with 19 long balls and 54 RBI in 112 games for the Fish. At best, Bour is a platoon candidate at first base against right-handed pitchers when he signs with a new club. Avilan had a 3.18 ERA in 12 games with Philly over just 5 2/3 innings. He went 2-1 with two saves and a 3.86 ERA in 58 outings for the White Sox in 2018.
Chicago White Sox lefty relief pitcher Luis Avilan has been traded to the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday. In exchange for Avilan the White Sox will receive righty pitcher Felix Paulino. Avilan has posted a 3.86 ERA with a 46/14 K/BB ratio this season. He is known as a lefty specialist since he's kept lefty hitters to a .146/.205/.146 slash line this season. However, Avilan is not really worth a look in any fantasy leagues.
Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports that the Chicago White Sox and relief pitcher Luis Avilan have avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $2.45 million deal. Avilan was recently acquired from the Dodgers, where the left-hander sported a 2.93 ERA in 61 games. He is likely to work in a late-inning role for the White Sox. Aside from leagues with holds, Avilan can be left on the waiver wire.
