Sending him to Triple-A is a bit of a compromise: He’s likely going to get starts there, but it’ll be three to four innings at a time rather than a full starter’s workload. That will allow Avila to build up innings but also be ready quicker in between his outings in case the Royals need him in the Majors.
“We want to look forward to the future with him, too, and understanding that if he only pitches 50 innings this year [in the bullpen], that’s probably not good for him or us,” manager Matt Quatraro said. “His is more of a bigger picture look, stretching him out to multiple innings and getting him to throw some innings before we need him up here.”