Michael Pineda

Player News

• Twins' Michael Pineda: No suspension reduction

  03/29/2020 •

  If the 2020 season is less than 162 games due to the delay necessitated by the COVID-19 epidemic, the recent agreement between MLB and the MLB Players Association on a reduced season is believed to mean that Pineda will still need to serve the remaining 39 games of his drug suspension, Skor North 1500 KSTP-AM Minneapolis reports. Pineda's fantasy value would decline as a result as he would have missed only 39 of 162 games and returned in mid-May under a full-season schedule. With a shortened season, however, he could now miss from one-third to one-half of the campaign. Pineda was suspended 80 games in early September for taking a banned diuretic. The suspension was later reduced to 60 games after he argued it was not being used as a masking agent for a performance-enhancing drug, and he served the first 21 games of the penalty last season.

  SEE FULL ARTICLE

• Twins' Michael Pineda: Headed back to Minnesota

  12/06/2019 •

  Pineda (suspension) agreed to a two-year, $20 million contract with the Twins on Thursday, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports. Pineda became a free agent at the beginning of November after failing to receive a qualifying offer from the Twins, but he'll head right back to Minnesota following Thursday's signing. He'll be required to miss the first month of the 2020 campaign after being slapped with an 80-game ban in September of 2019 for taking a banned substance.

  SEE FULL ARTICLE

• Michael Pineda: Doesn't receive qualifying offer

  11/04/2019 •

  Pineda (suspension) did not receive a qualifying offer from the Twins ahead of Monday's deadline, Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic reports. Pineda was a potential candidate for the offer after posting a 4.01 ERA in 26 starts last season, though the PED suspension which will cost him over a month to start the 2020 campaign certainly didn't help his chances. He'll now be free to sign anywhere without a draft-pick penalty attached.

  SEE FULL ARTICLE

• Twins' Michael Pineda: Hit with PED ban

  09/07/2019 •

  Pineda was suspended 60 games Saturday for taking a banned substance, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports. Pineda was originally hit with an 80-game ban, though the sentence was reduced on appeal after he made a compelling case that the banned diuretic found in his system was not being used as a masking agent for a performance-enhancing drug. The failed test still casts a bit of doubt on the validity of his solid 4.01 ERA in his first season back from Tommy John surgery, his best showing in that category since 2014. Pineda will miss the rest of this season and the playoffs as well as the first month and change of the 2020 campaign.

  SEE FULL ARTICLE

• Twins' Michael Pineda: Whiffs 10 in no-decision

  09/07/2019 •

  Pineda allowed one run on four hits and a pair of walks while striking out 10 over six innings but settled for a no-decision Friday versus the Indians. Pineda was very effective, tallying double-digit strikeouts for the first time this season. The only damage on his line came from a Francisco Lindor solo shot in the third inning. Pineda lowered his ERA to 4.01 with a 1.16 WHIP and 140:28 K:BB in 146 innings spanning 26 starts. He'll take the hill against the Nationals in Thursday's interleague matchup.

  SEE FULL ARTICLE