Luis Ayala

46-Year-Old PitcherP

Free Agent Foreign

2024 Stats

W-L

0-0

ERA

0.00

WHIP

0.00

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W-L

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2024 Fantasy Outlook

There was no outlook written for Luis Ayala in 2024. Check out the latest news below for more on his current fantasy value.

League Foreign

Throws R

40 Man No

Height 6'2"

Weight 175

DOB 1/12/1978

Drafted 1999

PFree Agent F

June 2, 2014

Ayala has agreed to a contract with a Mexican League team, Roch Kubatko of MASN Sports reports.

ANALYSIS
A big league promotion was not in the cards for Ayala after he put up a 5.06 ERA and 2.44 WHIP at Double-A Bowie, so he'll return to his native country to keep his career alive. The 36-year-old could earn another minor league contract with an invite to spring training next season with a strong performance in Mexico.

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Past Fantasy Outlooks

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2003

Anxiety issues forced Ayala onto the disabled list shortly after his arrival to Atlanta (from Baltimore) in early April, and the right-hander spent more than two months on the shelf as a result. He went on to post a very respectable 2.73 ERA after his return in July, with just one home run allowed over 31 innings with the Braves and a career-best 58.9 percent groundball rate for the season. His K/BB ratio, however, sunk back to 1.69 (from 3.64 in 2012), and opposing batters hit .292 against him, though that number was inflated by a .340 BABIP. The 35-year-old Ayala figures to earn a middle-relief role in 2014, and while there isn't a ton of appeal there from a fantasy perspective, he figures to notch double-digit holds if healthy for the entire season.

Ayala famously spent some of 2012 trying to snag home-run balls that went into outfield bullpens, but he also put together an impressive season on the mound. The Orioles wasted no time in picking up his 2013 option after he reached 11 holds and improved his K/BB rate to 3.6 from 2.0 in 2011. Do not bet on save opportunities, as another Oriole or two would beat Ayala to the punch behind closer Jim Johnson.

Ayala bruised a nerve in his upper left forearm and had some numbness in his left hand after being hit by a shotgun pellet during a hunting trip last January. Those ailments did not seem to impact him during the season since he got off to good start in April, but he did not post an ERA below 5.65 in any of the remaining months of the season, mainly due to struggles with the location of his sinker. Ayala served as the Mets' closer after being acquired in mid-August from Washington while Billy Wagner was sidelined, but he'll be used in a set-up role with the Twins.

After missing all of 2006 due to elbow trouble, Ayala finally made it back onto the mound last year, and aside from an uptick in his walk rate his numbers were similar to what he put up prior to getting hurt. The sinkerballer should regain his role as one of the Nationals' main set-up men and prime bullpen vulture, provided that an offseason hunting accident which resulted in a shotgun pellet being lodged in Ayala's non-throwing arm doesn't have any lingering effects on his health.

His heavy workload in '03-'05 finally took its toll and he missed the 2006 season with an elbow injury, although an early start due to the World Baseball Classic didn't help either. Ayala was a very dependable set-up man prior to getting his UCL replaced, and might be worth stashing on your reserve list if he's healthy this spring.

His workload started to catch up to him in 2005, but Ayala still put together another very good season for Washington. He seems to be one of the rare relievers with fairly reliable win totals, a testament to Frank Robinson's usage patterns. If his elbow holds up, and Robinson stays in charge, expect another eight or so W's on Ayala's ledger.

Ayala's now had two very good seasons in a row in middle relief. While he doesn't have the dominant K rate you'd like, if Washington's infield defense holds up there's little reason to think Ayala can't make it three for three.

Ayala was a Rule 5 steal for the Expos, and was their one reliable bullpen arm for all of 2003 -- although he did miss a month due to a shoulder injury. His 10 wins were a fluke of course, but if young Chad Cordero falters, Ayala might replace those wins with saves instead.

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PFree Agent F

May 31, 2014

Ayala has opted out of his contract with the Orioles, Chris Cotillo of MLB Daily Dish reports.