Yankees Starter Michael Pineda Impressing Early in Spring Training
New York Yankees right-hander Michael Pineda has been a bit of a disappointment since making his pinstripe debut.
Weeks after being traded to the Yankees in 2012, Pineda reported to his first Yankees Spring Training overweight and out of shape. To make matters worse, that very same spring Pineda suffered a critical shoulder injury that kept him out of the majors until 2014.
In the summer of 2012 while rehabbing down in Tampa, Pineda was also arrested and charged for driving under the influence.
When he finally made it back to the hill in Yankee Stadium in August ’14, Pineda debuted as the Yankees fifth stater, pitching to a 5-5 record with a 1.89 ERA in 13 starts. Of course that was the very same season in which ‘Big Mike’ was suspended 10 games for hiding pine tar on his glove and neck against the Boston Red Sox.
In 2015 he pitched to a 12-10 record with a rather high 4.37 ERA as the Yankees number two starter. After starting the season on pace for a Cy Young caliber year, Pineda peaked on May 10, 2015 in a win against the Baltimore Orioles in which he struck out a career high 16 batters while walking none, becoming the first pitcher since Johan Santana in 2007 to do so.
Unfortunately it was all down hill from there for Pineda. He went on the DL on July 30th after straining his right forearm and didn’t return until August 26th, but the damage had been done. From his 16 strikeout performance onward, he pitched to an 8-10 record and saw him impressive 2.72 ERA dip to an eyebrow-raising 4.37.
But now, nearly four years to the date of his first spring training appearance, the towering right-hander has gotten off to a very impressive start. He reported to spring training with the goal of finally reaching the 200-inning plateau for the first time in his career, and he’s looking to finally transform into a healthy and consistent starter, which is exactly what the Yankees had hoped he would turn into when they traded away top-prospect Jesus Montero in order to acquire him.
Related Story: Can Michael Pineda Actually Reach 200 Innings?
After breezing through his early workouts and first few bullpen sessions, it looks like ‘Big Mike’ is finally ready to take his game to the next level.
"“Michael, when he is at the top of the game, he is extremely impressive, and everything I have seen from Michael so far in camp … I thought he came in extremely well prepared to get off to a good start and pitch well,’’ manager Joe Girardi told George King III of the New York Post on Friday. “And that’s what I have seen. His stuff looked good today.’’"
With Spring Training games getting underway next week, we’ll finally get a live look at some of the Yankees pitching staff, including Michael Pineda.