Luinder Avila
Breakdown
Performance
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August 4, 2026
Headed for Tommy John surgery
Manager Matt Quatraro said that Avila is scheduled to undergo Tommy John surgery on his right elbow Wednesday, Joel Goldberg of Bally Sports Kansas City reports.
Analysis
The 24-year-old was placed on the injured list Sunday due to forearm tightness, and further evaluation apparently revealed a torn UCL. Avila will miss the rest of this year and is also likely to be sidelined for the full 2027 season. He made 21 appearances (12 starts) for Kansas City prior to the injury and had a 5.53 ERA, 1.61 WHIP and 61:42 K:BB over 70 innings this season. Avila will likely be shifted to the 60-day injured list in the near future.
August 2, 2026
Hits shelf with forearm tightness
The Royals placed Avila on the 15-day injured list Sunday due to right forearm tightness.
Analysis
Avila's move to the IL comes after he was blitzed for six earned runs on four hits and three walks over 2.2 innings in a 12-6 loss in Colorado on Saturday. Pitching at high altitude didn't help, but the forearm injury may have played a part in his struggles after he had been developing into a trustworthy fantasy option. Over his preceding seven starts, Avila went 4-0 with a 3.82 ERA, 1.36 WHIP and 31:17 K:BB in 35.1 innings. The Royals will send the righty for further testing before providing a timeline for his return, though even mild forearm injuries often entail a recovery period of more than 15 days.
August 2, 2026
Falls apart in third frame Saturday
Avila (5-4) took the loss against Colorado on Saturday, allowing six runs on four hits and three walks while striking out two batters over 2.2 innings.
Analysis
Avila kept the Rockies out of the scoring column for two frames, but he was knocked around in the bottom of the third. In that inning, Colorado pounced for six runs on five hits and three walks while Avila was on the mound, with the biggest blow being a Hunter Goodman three-run homer. Avila logged his shortest start since a disastrous outing against Houston on June 12 when he gave up eight runs over two-thirds of an inning. Between that start and Saturday's, the right-hander had posted a tolerable 3.82 ERA over seven appearances, but he also had a shaky 1.36 WHIP and 31:17 K:BB during that span. He'll carry an overall 5.53 ERA into his next start, which is tentatively slated to be a home tilt against the Cubs.