Yankees Breaking News: Pineda to have Tommy John surgery

The Yankees have received some shocking news. ESPN is reporting that Michael Pineda will have season-ending Tommy John surgery in the next few days.

The Yankees second half of the season has yet to begin and already there is disturbing news on the starting pitching front.

ESPN is reporting and Yankees GM, Brian Cashman, has confirmed that Michael Pineda will have season-ending Tommy John surgery to repair Pineda’s flexor muscle strain and the partial tear in the UCL ligament.

The Yankees will get a second opinion but it’s almost certain that the initial diagnosis is correct.

For both the organization and Pineda, who is scheduled for free agency at the end of this season, the timing could not have been worse. The Yankees, who have been on the prowl for a top line starter via the trade market, could easily find themselves in the unenviable position of being beggars instead of buyers.

Pineda has already seen his career stalled once by a shoulder injury in 2012, the year he arrived in New York in a trade from the Mariners. And was only this season that he appeared to be in a full recovery mode pitching for the Pinstripes with an 8-4 record and a 4.39 ERA.

Pineda was tentatively listed to start the opener tonight in a critical four-game series with the Division leading Boston Red Sox.

The glass could be half-full, though

Pineda’s loss could, however, turn into an opportunity for the Yankees, as well as one or two of their minor league studs who are knocking on the door for some time now.

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The most obvious choice outside of the trade market to replace Pineda in the rotation would seem to be Chance Adams. And if the organization were to pass him over again, fire alarms about his status with the team and what they think of him would go off throughout the Bronx.

ESPN is reporting that Cashman said Adams could be a starting option at some point.

The team would be hard pressed to find someone in their system other than Adams who is “ready” to make the jump to the big leagues and square into the middle of a pennant race.

Problems, problems all day long

Brian Cashman must be thinking he’s been bitten by a snake, but this life in baseball. Here today and gone tomorrow.

According to ESPN, The team will start rookie Jordan Montgomery on Friday night, followed by All-Star Luis Severino on Saturday. Bryan Mitchell will start the day game of Sunday’s doubleheader.

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In Minnesota, CC Sabathia and Luis Cessa will make starts on Monday and Tuesday

One thing you can say for certain about the Yankees this season is they sure aren’t boring.