The Nationals have signed left-handed reliever Luis Avilan to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training, as Efrain Zavarce of IVC Networks Venezuela reports and Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post confirms.
The Nationals are the fourth NL East organization for the well-traveled Avilan, who has posted quality numbers in the majors since his career began with the Braves in 2012. The 31-year-old owns a 3.30 ERA/3.47 FIP with 8.12 K/9, 3.53 BB/9, 0.57 HR/9 and a 50.3 percent groundball rate across 349 innings, though his production dipped during the previous two seasons in New York.
Avilan spent 2019 as a member of the Mets, with whom he notched a 5.06 ERA/4.96 FIP in 32 innings. A significant increase in home runs allowed (1.41 per nine) played a key role in those struggles.
Avilan moved on to the Yankees last season and tossed just 8 1/3 frames of four-run ball (with nine strikeouts and five walks), though a large portion of the damage came in his final outing of 2020 on Aug. 20. The Yankees then released Avilan, who was battling shoulder issues at the time. He’ll now move on to the seventh organization of his career.
It’s funny to me that a guy with a 3.30 ERA with the FIP to back it up in almost 500 career games has to keep settling for minor league deals over and over. Especially for a lefty who’s been able to keep right handed hitters at a respectable slash line throughout his career.
Cuz he doesn’t throw hard or wasn’t a huge prospect coming up ! I remember in the off season in 2018/19 he had to sing a minor league deal cuz he was throwing 88 in September , he threw 70 games that 2018 season and had good numbers , meanwhile, guys like Alex Wood ( who is aaaallllwaaayssss hurt ) sing guarantee deals just Bc his prospect pedigree ! Also , fun fact about Avilán , he had more wins than home runs allow , that’s impressive
This is so bad
Larmando does have a point. I have no data to back it up but it seems guys with prospect pedigree always find secure contracts vs non-pedigree guys when all else is equal :/
It’s 100% true ! I guarantee you that Alex Wood will get a guarantee contract for next year , nothing against the guy at all , I can name you multiple examples ! Toni Cingrani was hurst for the most part in 2018 , he then got a guarantee contract for 2019 just Bc he throw hard and was a prospect , meanwhile Avilán sing a minor league contract with the Mets just Bc he was throwing 88 in September !
Luis Avilan
Luis Avilan
Luis Avilan, prospero año y felicidad
Oh good – I’m not the only one who does that!
He Pitched Well with The Mets
Imma nat fan so hope we get good avilan
I remember him as a brave amd he always did pretty good. I’m surprised he couldnt get a major league deal. But fantastic move for the Nats.
Im surprised he’s 31. I always thought he was in his 30s like 5 years ago. All this time he was a little younger than me.
Good low-risk pick-up. If his shoulder is OK and he has something left in the tank, he could contribute. Nats have a need for a lefty or two in the BP to go along with Hudson, Harris, Rainey, Finnegan and Suero.