The Kansas City Royals are shaking things up on the mound for Friday's game against the Milwaukee Brewers by calling up Luinder Avila from Omaha. Originally, Michael Wacha was slated to start, but he's been sidelined due to illness. Avila, who was supposed to pitch for Omaha tonight, has been scratched from the lineup, paving the way for Ethan Bosacker to step in.
While the Royals have yet to officially announce the roster move, it's likely that Steven Cruz will be sent down. Cruz had a tough outing, surrendering three home runs in just one inning during a 5-1 loss on Thursday, after pitching on consecutive days.
Avila made a solid impression last year with the Royals, featuring in 13 games and maintaining a stellar 1.29 ERA. Over 14 innings, he allowed only two runs and struck out 16 batters.
To keep him in starting form, the Royals had him begin the season in the minors. In his first start for Omaha, he gave up two runs over three innings, striking out three.
Ranked as the Royals' #9 prospect by MLB Pipeline, Avila is known for his high-angle delivery that generates plenty of groundballs. His curveball was particularly effective in the majors last year, boasting a 48 percent whiff rate. Avila also impressed on the international stage, allowing just one unearned run over 4.1 innings for Team Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic.
Looking ahead, the Royals have Seth Lugo lined up to start Saturday's game, with Kris Bubic set to take the mound on Sunday. After wrapping up the series with the Brewers, the Royals will head to Cleveland for a three-game series starting Monday.