Two weeks ago, the Yankees rotation was unexpectedly a burgeoning strength. Masahiro Tanaka, a mystery despite the $155 million contract, was baffling hitters with his renowned seven-pitch arsenal. Michael Pineda’s return to the majors was an astonishing triumph. Hiroki Kuroda was the steady contributor the Yankees expected. Ivan Nova, though still inconsistent, possessed potential.
The developments meant Opening Day starter CC Sabathia, now featuring a fastball that rarely touches 90 mph, did not have to be an ace for the Yankees to compete.
A fortnight later, the impressive depth has disappeared. First, Nova, 27, was lost for the season due to a partially torn ulnar ligament that required Tommy John surgery Tuesday. The procedure, the Yankees stated, “went as expected,” meaning nothing went wrong, but Nova will not pitch in a major-league game for at least 12 months regardless.
Next, Pineda was tossed for a peculiar and brazen placement of pine tar on his neck last week. The result was embarrassment and a 10-game suspension. It was an obstacle, but manageable because he was to miss just one start.
But Tuesday’s development altered Pineda’s itinerary. The right-hander removed himself from a simulated game in Tampa, Fla., and was later diagnosed with a Grade 1 strain of his teres major muscle. Pineda, 25, will be shut down for 10 days and is projected to miss three to four weeks altogether.
Initially, Yankees manager Joe Girardi was under the impression Pineda’s trouble area was a lat muscle, located in the back. But the teres major muscle is at the bottom part of the shoulder and serves as stability for the shoulder socket, a worrisome factoid for a pitcher who spent the last two years rehabbing from torn labrum in his shoulder.
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