In a season where so much has gone right for the Minnesota Twins, they received a devastating blow on Saturday. Starting pitcher Michael Pineda will miss the remainder of the year following a suspension for violating MLB’s performance-enhancing drug policy.
MLB announced Pineda is receiving a 60-game ban that rules him out for the remainder of 2019 after testing positive for Hydrochlorothiazide.
It couldn’t come at a worse time for Minnesota with Pineda just recently posting one of his best lines of the year. He allowed only one run over six innings with 10 strikeouts against the Cleveland Indians in a critical division game.
Pineda had been sharp since the All-Star Break with a 3.04 ERA across nine starts. The 30-year-old will be a free agent this offseason and the suspension will likely impact his potential earnings.