MLB Network‘s own Jon Heyman reports that Minnesota Twins pitcher Michael Pineda has been suspended 60 games for violating Major League Baseball’s Joint Drug Protection policy.
Though no specific performance-enhancing substance has been cited, the righty reportedly tested positive for hydrochlorothiazide, a diuretic often used to mask traces of performance-enhancers in test samples (first reported by Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com).
Jeff Passan of ESPN adds that Pineda’s suspension comes off the heels of an appeal for a retroactive 80-game ban, with the league reducing it by 20 upon the organization leveling a “compelling case” that Pineda’s use of the diuretic was not intended to cover any tracks.
“I’d like to begin with my sincere apologies to the Twins organization, the fans, my teammates, and my family for my error in judgment,” Pineda issued in a statement put out by the MLB Players Association. “I mistakenly took a medication that was given to me by a close acquaintance, who obtained it over-the-counter and assured me it would safely help me manage my weight… I never intended to cheat the system, other players, or opposing teams.”
The veteran’s suspension is poorly-timed, to say the least, as he was in the midst of a resurgent contract year as the Twins’ second starter behind Jose Berrios. In 26 starts and 146 innings this year, the 30-year old Pineda notched a 4.01 ERA and 4.02 FIP while working to a 5.00 K/BB ratio (8.6 to 1.7 per nine innings) and going 11-5.
Pineda had been even more consistent of late, holding opponents to a .232/.277/.382 line in his last 11 starts while striking out 73 and walking 16 in 65.1 innings of work. Pineda missed all of 2018 following a Tommy John procedure at the end of 2017, and was likely to cash in after his two-year, $10MM contract in Minnesota expired at the end of the season.
That said, the issue is now all the more pressing for the Twins, who are five and a half games ahead of the Cleveland Indians and hoping to pull away with the AL Central title, but will now look to whatever reinforcements they can find to work around Berrios, Jake Odorizzi, and Martin Perez. Kyle Gibson could return from a digestive ulcer in the next few weeks, though their best bet would likely be patching in rookie left-hander Devin Smeltzer and his four career starts in the meantime.
Needless to say, Pineda’s suspension, which renders him ineligible for postseason play and likely another 30-plus games in 2020, is a huge blow to an intrepid Twins pitching staff.
