Righty likely out till May with shoulder tendinitis
KISSIMMEE, Fla. — All it took was one MRI exam for the Yankees’ rotation competition to come to a sudden end. Michael Pineda will open the season on the disabled list after an MRI revealed tendinitis in his right shoulder. Pineda felt tightness and soreness in the back of the shoulder during his start Friday night, prompting the test Saturday morning. “It’s great news,” Joe Girardi said. “Very relieved, because the rest of the MRI came out good. You always worry about rotator cuff and labrum and everything, but the rest of the shoulder looked really good.”
Pineda had not complained of any soreness or tightness in his shoulder all spring, but he said he began feeling discomfort during his 2 2/3 innings against the Phillies Friday night.
Pineda was knocked around for six runs, his fastball sitting around 91 mph for most of his 71-pitch night.
Pineda was at Steinbrenner Field Saturday to get treatment, telling The Associated Press, “I’m feeling a little better. A little sore. I’m a little sad. I’ll be okay.”
The righthander expressed little doubt that he would get his arm healthy and make an impact this season.
“I’m pitching this year,” Pineda said. “I’m coming back strong.”
The Yankees gave Pineda a full physical — including an MRI on his shoulder — in January before completing the trade that sent Jesus Montero to Seattle. The results were clear at the time, so they’re confident that Pineda’s shoulder injury happened this spring and not before the trade.
Pineda threw 171 innings during his rookie season, a jump of 31 2/3 innings from his minor-league total of 139 1/3 in 2010. The Mariners limited his innings down the stretch last year, giving him three starts (18 innings) in September.
Asked if he thought the innings jump last year might have played into Pineda’s velocity and shoulder issues, Girardi didn’t shoot down the theory.
“If you ran a mile, mile, mile and then you went out and ran a marathon, you’re probably not going to feel the same as if you ran a mile,” Girardi said. “So you try to gradually increase just like you would with any activity.” This marks the second straight season the Yankees have had a pitcher with shoulder tendinitis. Phil Hughes missed nearly three months last year with the same injury after struggling to find the velocity in his fastball throughout spring training and into the season.
“Are they exactly the same? Probably not,” Girardi said. “No two things ever are. It’s something that pitchers go through.”
The Yankees will be conservative with Pineda, not rushing him back until he’s completely healthy. With Pineda out of the mix to start the season, the Yankees will open the year with a rotation of CC Sabathia, Hiroki Kuroda, Phil Hughes, Ivan Nova and Freddy Garcia.
Then there is the eventual return of Andy Pettitte, who is targeted to join the rotation in early May, likely beating out Pineda for his 2012 debut.
“We want to make sure when he goes back out, he feels good,” Girardi said of Pineda.
Pineda’s fastball had been a hot topic all spring as the 23-year-old hadn’t been able to reach the mid-to-high 90s heat that helped him make the American League All-star team last season as a rookie.
Girardi wouldn’t point directly to the shoulder as the reason for the decreased velocity — Pineda’s fastball sat around 91 mph all spring, never topping 94 mph — saying it could be a combination of that and other factors.
“There was always the curiosity, ‘Why isn’t it going higher?’ ” Girardi said. “We can speculate. Was it an innings jump, or that he’s just not ready to turn it loose, or was it the tendinitis. Could it be a combination of all three? Sure.”
Twitter.com/bloggingbombers