For today’s birthday boy, we have ourselves an interesting, injury-riddled, and often controversial character to delve into. Michael Pineda, once acquired by the Yankees in a fairly high-profile deal, appeared to be a major part of New York’s rotation in the early and mid-2010s.
It hasn’t really worked out that way, as injuries and issues on and off the field have hampered the tall right-hander more often than not. He still had his moments in pinstripes and elsewhere, but his career certainly didn’t turn out the way he or his clubs probably hoped.
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Michael Francisco Pineda
Born: January 18, 1989 (Yaguate, Dominican Republic)
Yankees mandate: 2012-17
Born in the Dominican Republic and signed for $35,000 with the Seattle Mariners at just 16 years old, Pineda was an intimidating presence on the mound from the start. At 6-foot-7, 280 pounds, the pitcher signed his first contract in late 2005 and was full of potential as he moved up the ranks.
The man known as “Big Mike” made his MLB debut with Seattle in April 2011. He was coming off 16th overall. Baseball America‘s list of top 100 preseason prospects, with the outlet noting:
Pineda has the size, equipment and control to throw to the top of a rotation. He throws a crisp fastball that sits 93-97 mph and hits 101 with explosive life and an occasional heavy drop. He has tightened up and added more slant to his quality slider this year, although he can still go under it from time to time, causing him to flatten out. He also did a better job selling his upper-80s changeup with the same arm speed as his fastball, keeping it low and enticing hitters to chase him. Pineda throws all three pitches from the same three-quarter arm slot. With his velocity, high effort and unusual arm action, it’s surprising how well he throws strikes.
Pineda threw six frames of solid ball in his first outing, kicking off what has been a very solid rookie campaign. That year, he pitched 171 innings in 28 starts with a more than respectable 3.74 ERA and FIP. His first half was even better, as he completed at least six innings in 15 of his first 17 starts, managing a 2.58 ERA along the way. He was rewarded with an All-Star selection during his inaugural campaign and received some love with the votes for the Rookie of the Year award.
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Expectations were high and Pineda had a rookie season to justify it.
While Pineda was doing his job, the Yankees also had a young catcher looking like a budding star. Jesus Montero was considered one of the top prospects in MLB, just behind Mike Trout and Bryce. Then in 18 games in late 2011, he notched a 163 OPS+, hit big home runs and looked like he was part of the team’s future. During the offseason following the 2011 campaign, the Yankees sent Montero and pitcher Hector Noesí to Seattle, the main return being Pineda. It was a deal of potential for potential and youth for youth, a type of deal that is not that common. It’s safe to say that neither team ultimately played the way the clubs probably expected, but Pineda was officially a Yankee.
Unfortunately for the pitcher and his new club, the trouble began almost immediately. Late in his first spring training with New York, Pineda complained of shoulder soreness, beginning what was a long road back to a big league mound. What started as a tendinitis diagnosis turned into a torn labrum and season-ending surgery for the Yankees’ new pitcher.
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Pineda was not ready for the start of the 2013 season, but the Yankees were optimistic that he would be a part of their season. After a lengthy rehab stint in the minors, Pineda looked close, before being pulled from a game with more shoulder strain. Once again, it turned into another completely lost season for the big right-hander.
Finally, after spending two full years on the shelf, Pineda looked ready to enter the 2014 campaign. He earned a spot in the rotation and did a great job in 76.1 innings. He posted a 1.89 ERA (204 ERA+) in some of the best baseball of his career, but he couldn’t help but find himself struggling with injuries (and others). The drama began in a start against the Red Sox in April, his second against the legendary rival. After suspicions in the first, Boston manager John Farrell alerted the officiating crew to a potential pine tar on Pineda. His neck was smeared with it – not the most subtle stain in the world – and Pineda was promptly kicked out of that match.
Over the next two seasons, Pineda was able to maintain his health to a much better extent and stay in the rotation for longer periods of time.
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Between the 2015 and 2016 seasons, the right-hander made 59 starts and worked more than 330 total innings. He was far from a game-changing starter, but he was generally there all five days as a roughly league-average arm — and at the very least, one who didn’t annoy fans by running around the stadium (his command might have been spotty at times, but his control never really faltered given his career 2.0 BB/9). And Pineda could still show flashes of his raw talent, like in his May 2015 debut against the Orioles, when he struck out 16 batters in seven innings of work. This tied a Yankees franchise record for most hits in a single game by a right-handed pitcher, tying none other than ’90s ace David Cone:
Despite the high expectations Pineda set upon arriving in New York, there’s still something to be said about someone who can present GOOD rounds when it’s their turn. Pineda has been able to do this at least for stretches, although injuries and occasional issues have clearly been difficult for him to overcome throughout his career.
Pineda continued on the same path during the 2017 season, providing solid value to the Yankees. But, in mid-July, it was discovered that the right-hander had a torn ligament in his elbow and would require Tommy John surgery as he would once again be on the shelf for an extended period of time. That marked the end of his time in New York, but not for his MLB career.
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Returning from elbow surgery in 2019, Pineda pitched solid innings over three seasons with the Twins (once interrupted by a PED suspension), never pitching more than 146 frames in any of them. His final season came in 2022, when he pitched a disappointing 46.2 innings for the Tigers.
It was a rocky road at times for Pineda with the Yankees and elsewhere, in what was ultimately a disappointing career considering how it began. That being said, he had moments where he showed tremendous talent, but he just had a lot of trouble staying on the field one way or another.
See more of the “Yankees Day Anniversary” series here.
