New York Yankees pitcher Michael Pineda was suspended by Major League Baseball for 10 games following his ejection from Wednesday nights game for an illegal substance on his neck.
Pineda was caught with the substance in the second inning of Wednesday’s game against the Boston Red Sox when John Farrell requested that umpires check the pitcher. Red Sox reporters had previously speculated that Pineda was using an illegal substance in his previous April 10 start against the team though Farrell and the Red Sox declined to comment on the matter at the time.
Yankees RHP Michael Pineda suspended 10 games, starting tonight, for possessing a foreign substance during Wednesday’s game at Fenway Park.
— MLB (@MLB) April 24, 2014
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman called the incident embarrassing.
“I think we’re all embarrassed,” Cashman said, via ESPN New York. “We as a group are embarrassed that this has taken place. I think Michael is embarrassed. It’s just obviously a bad situation, and it clearly forced the opponents’ hand to do something that I’m sure they didn’t want to do, but they had no choice but to do. Obviously we’ll deal with the ramifications of that now.”
Pineda will miss at-least one start due to the suspension. His first start back would figure to come as soon as the suspension is over.