Pedro Avila declines assignment, elects free agency

If given the choice, it seems pretty clear that the Cleveland Guardians would prefer to retain the services of relief pitcher Pedro Avila. Cleveland did have to clear a spot for veteran reliever Paul Sewald last week by designating Avila for assignment. Once he cleared waivers the Guardians attempted to send him to Triple-A Columbus. There is just one problem. Avila refused the assignment and decided to become a free agent.

It should not be all that surprising that Avila is looking for work elsewhere now that he has an opportunity to do so. Avila was used frequently by the Guardians last season, with his 82.2 innings pitched in relief trailing only Ryan Yarbrough, Derek Law, and Luke Weaver last season. Avila was effective in his outings with Cleveland, finishing with a 3.25 ERA, 1.313 WHIP, and 8.8 strikeouts per nine innings pitched in 2024. Coming off a season with those numbers, it is no wonder why Avila is seeking out a spot on a major league roster rather than hoping he can work his way back to Cleveland from Triple-A.

There is no doubt that Avila would prefer to land in the bullpen on a team's major league roster, but that may not be all that likely. Every other team had a chance to claim Avila on waivers, and they chose not to. This says quite a lot about how he is viewed by other organizations, even if he is coming off a productive season in relief.

This could come down to the fact that Avila was primarily used in low-leverage situations that do not carry the same amount of weight that the outings of Cleveland's late-game relievers are usually in. Working as an innings eater does have some value, but there is a reason why Avila is not coming in toward the end of the game.

It would not be a shocking development to see Avila return to Cleveland if his free agency endeavor does not work out in his favor. The Guardians could offer him a minor league contract with a non-roster invite to spring training. This would give him the opportunity to return to a big-league bullpen, provided things go well in Arizona, a chance he might get with any other ballclub.