Michael Pineda to make another rehab start on Friday
Michael Pineda of the New York Yankees looks on during an inning against the Seattle Mariners at Yankee Stadium on Saturday, July 18, 2015. Credit: Jim McIsaac
Yankees manager Joe Girardi said before Wednesday afternoon's game against the Minnesota Twins that righthander Michael Pineda will make another rehab start on Friday.
Girardi, however, said he did not know where Pineda's start will be.
"He's going to pitch Friday," Girardi said. "I'm not going to announce the place yet because I want to make sure it is the place. He's going to be in Double-A [Trenton] or Triple-A [Scranton/Wilkes-Barre]."
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre announced on its Twitter feed Wednesday afternoon that Pineda would pitch for the RailRiders on Friday night.
Pineda, on the disabled list with a flexor strain in his right forearm, pitched for Trenton on Sunday, allowing two runs and four hits in three innings.
Girardi said Pineda needs another rehab start.
"We just feel that it'll help him being a little sharper when he comes back," he said. "He threw 45 pitches. I don't worry so much about the pitch count because I think his arm is in shape, but just to make sure he feels sharp. Could that change if something blew up and went crazy today? Yes, but our plans are for him to make another start and then come back."
Girardi also said that he would consider a six-man rotation when Pineda returns.
"I think that's something that we're going to have to look at," he said. "It's easier to do in September."
Pineda is 9-7 with a 3.97 ERA in 19 starts this season.
