In Yankees rumors today, the real wild card in the New York Yankees' competition for the fifth spot in the starting rotation sees his first action of Spring Training tonight against the Tigers.
Yankees righthander Michael Pineda is slated to make his spring debut in tonight's contest against the Detroit Tigers, ending what seemed like an interminable wait for NY Yankees fans.
As it currently stands, Hiroki Kuroda will get the start in tonight's game at Steinbrenner Field. Closer David Robertson will pitch next, follow by the much-anticipated 2014 debut of the 25-year-old Pineda.
The NY Yankees acquired Pineda from the Seattle Mariners in January of 2012, firmly convinced that the young fireballer had the make-up of a dominant front-of-the-rotation starter. A labrum tear in his right shoulder sidelined Pineda for the entirety of the 2012 season.
Michael Pineda saw just 10 games of action in the NY Yankees' farm system last season, as the Yankees were extremely careful not to risk re-injury with their prized prospect.
The young Dominican Republic-born pitcher threw two innings in a simulated game on Sunday--averaging 94.2 mph altogether, with his two-seam fastball averaging in the neighborhood of 96.7 mph.
Vidal Nuno, David Phelps, and Adam Warren are the other three Yankees pitchers rumored to be in the running for the fifth spot in the starting rotation.