Fansided

Michael Pineda: MLB’s next star ace

By Stanford Crissey

May 10, 2015; Bronx, NY, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Michael Pineda (35) pitches against the Baltimore Orioles during the third inning of a baseball game at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
May 10, 2015; Bronx, NY, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Michael Pineda (35) pitches against the Baltimore Orioles during the third inning of a baseball game at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports /
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Yankees’ Michael Pineda is poised to join the ranks of MLB’s elite

If MLB’s ace pitchers were a cult (and let’s hope they aren’t), they would be preparing to welcome a new sworn brother today. Clayton Kershaw, David Price, and their fellow aces would be donning hoods, wearing masks, and having Michael Pineda learn their sacred ritual, for he is one of them now.

All that is a dramatic (but fun) way of saying that Michael Pineda has ascended to the level of the game’s elite. And Pineda didn’t just arrive quietly or submit an application to this exclusive club. He kicked the door down and demanded entry with his 16-strikeout, no-walk performance against the Orioles on Sunday.

Pineda became the fourth pitcher in MLB history to strike out 16 or more in seven innings or fewer, joining Randy Johnson (who did it an incredible three times in 2001 alone), Jake Peavy, and Cliff Lee. He was also the first pitcher since Johan Santana in 2007 to strike out as many as 16 while walking none. This is a feat that’s more rare than a no-hitter or even a perfect game. This is a feat of true pitching excellence, and it has cemented Pineda’s status as one of the game’s elite.

Seattle Mariners GM Jack Zdurencik probably cringed at each of those 16 strikeouts.

After an All-Star season in his rookie year of 2011, Pineda was dealt by Zduencik as part of a challenge trade for Yankees uberprospect Jesus Montero. Montero was the fifth-ranked prospect in all of baseball in 2010, and at the time of the deal Yankees GM Brian Cashman said that Montero “may well be the best player I’ve ever traded.” To say that won’t end up being the case would be a severe understatement, as Montero turned into one of MLB’s biggest prospect busts in a while. The “can’t miss” prospect missed, as Montero’s legendary bat failed to materialize at the big league level, his conditioning fell off, his defense at catcher was so bad he was moved to first base, and he threw in a steroid suspension for good measure. All told, Montero has compiled -0.3 WAR in his career, meaning he’s been slightly worse than a free agent off the street.

Yeah, it’s safe to say that the Yankees won that trade. And that win is poised to turn into a landslide.

That’s not to say that Pineda had an easy path to this point. In fact, it looked at one point like the trade was a no-win swap for both parties, as Pineda missed both 2012 and 2013 with a torn meniscus. He bounced back into the Yankees’ rotation last season, putting up a 1.89 ERA in 76 innings, but missed half the season with another injury.

So health remains a concern for Pineda; we need to see him pitch this way for a full season. But if he does, look out, MLB. The 26-year-old Pineda is just entering the prime of his career, is striking out 10.5 batters per nine, and has dramatically improved his fastball and changeup. Per Fangraphs, Pineda is throwing 88 percent of his two-strike pitches high in the strike zone, up from 72 percent last year and suggesting better fastball location. He’s also throwing a near 90 mile per hour changeup, a rarity that can be very difficult for hitters to identify, let alone hit. His ground ball rate is also up above 50 percent, a first for his (admittedly short) career.

Al this adds up to a pitcher who has struck out 54 hitters while walking just three. Not bad for a pitcher who, just two years ago, was being described by an MLB scout as a “back-end starter” with “unreliable command and mechanics.”

A full season of a pitcher like that will be terrifying to opponents. At 6’7″ and 270 pounds, Pineda has always looked the part of the ace; now he’s got the pitches and the command to match. If he keeps this up (and stays healthy), we probably have a Cy Young frontrunner on our hands.

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