Luis Ayala

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**Luis Ayala**
Ayala with the Nationals in 2008 Photo by Chris Nelson
Washington Nationals — No. 56
Relief Pitcher
Born: January 12, 1978 (1978-01-12) (age 30)
Bats: Right	Throws: Right
Major League Baseball debut
March 31, 2003 for the Montreal Expos
Selected MLB statistics (through 2007)
ERA	2.82
Wins-Losses	26-24
Strikeouts	177
Teams
Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals(2003-2004/2005-present)

For the tennis player, see Luis Ayala (tennis)

Luis Ignacio Ayala (born January 12, 1978 in Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico) is a pitcher in the Washington Nationals organization of Major League Baseball. He injured his elbow on the last pitch of a World Baseball Classic game and missed the entire 2006 season. After spending the first two months of the 2007 season on the disabled list, Ayala returned to the Nationals on June 22, 2007, pitching 2/3 of an inning and giving up no runs and only one hit.

In 1997, as a 19 year old, Ayala starting playing in the Mexican leagues as a relief pitcher. After a great season in 1999, he was signed as an undrafted free agend by the Colorado Rockies. He had two more great years in 2000 and 2001. He continued to spend most of his playing time with the Mexican leagues. At the end of the 2002 season, he was signed by the Arizona Diamondbacks, but two months later was selected from Arizona by the Montreal Expos as a Rule 5 pick.

[edit] Major Leagues

Ayala (left) talks to teammate Ray King in 2008.
Photo by Chris Nelson

Ayala pitched well for the Expos/Nationals in 2003 through 2005. Over the three years he averaged 70 appearances per year, and compiled an ERA of 2.75, and led the NL with 62 holds. In 2004 he ranked 8th in appearances with 81.

As noted above, he injured himself in the World Baseball Classic, despite multiple appeals by the Nationals to forego playing, and had Tommy John surgery on March 30, 2006. He missed the entire 2006 season, and was placed on the 60-day disabled list during the 2007 season. After working eight re-hab games in the minors, in which he allwed one run in 9-2/3 innings, on June 20 he was called up to the Nationals.