MLB News: Michael Pineda Still Drawing Attention After Yankees 4-1 Win Over Red Sox Due To 'Dirt' On Pitching Hand

New York Yankees starter Michael Pineda was looking forward to a strong 2014 MLB campaign following him impressing spring performance. Posting a 1.20 ERA in 15 innings, the 25-year-old Dominican Republic native displayed his ability to keep opposing bats at bay while also showcasing consistent control of the strike zone. With 16 strikeouts against only one walk, the former Seattle Mariners All-Star got the nod as New York’s No. 5 starter and his early-season numbers have been nothing short of outstanding. If his consistency remains, the 27-time World Series champions should have no problem competing in the American League East considering CC Sabathia, Ivan Nova, Hiroki Kuroda and Japanese sensation Masahiro Tanaka round out the rest of the starting rotation.

Throwing six innings of one-run ball in his 2014 debut against the Toronto Blue Jays last week, Pineda dazzled as he kept Toronto hitters off balance while striking out five and not giving away any walks. Despite New York’s inability to back their starter up at the plate, Pineda carried high levels of confidence into his most recent start against the rival Boston Red Sox. Completing six innings once again while allowing only one run and four hits to go along with seven strikeouts, the young star picked up his first win of the season in front of the always-passionate Yankee Stadium crowd. While his performance should have been the main story of the evening, reports of a foreign substance on the 25-year-old’s pitching hand seemed to capture the attention of the baseball world.

Television cameras caught some type of substance on the right throwing hand of Pineda but upon being notified following the victory that it had become the main topic of conversation in Major League Baseball, the right hander said it was nothing other than dirt, something he needed on his hand due to sweat accumulation between innings. He also indicated that it was definitely not pine tar, as many suggested. “I don’t use pine tar,” he said in a postgame interview. “It’s dirt. I’m sweating on my hand too much in between innings.”

MLB Rule 8.02 indicates that a pitcher shall not “bring his pitching hand in contact with his mouth or lips while in the 18 foot circle surrounding the pitching rubber” while MLB rule 8.02 (b) states that the pitcher may not “have on his person, or in his possession, any foreign substance. For such infraction of this section (b) the penalty shall be immediate ejection from the game. In addition, the pitcher shall be suspended automatically.”

Red Sox star Clay Buchholz, who opposed Pineda Thursday night in the Bronx, said shortly after taking the loss that he doesn’t believe Michael Pineda did anything inappropriate. The 29-year-old -- who dealt with similar accusations last May against the Blue Jays -- noted that unless Pineda was doing something to give himself an advantage, it’s a non-issue.

“It's tough to get a grip on the baseball, especially on cold windy nights,” Buchholz said. “I had that instance last year in Toronto, people said I had stuff all over my body you can use -- rosin, water, the whole sunscreen stuff, whatever. I'd rather have a grip on the baseball and semi-know where it's going than have no grip and get somebody hurt. As hard as Pineda was throwing early, ain't no one want to get hit, especially around the head. I don't think any organization would want to do anything about it. Scuffing the ball is one thing, if you're actually creating more control over where you want to throw it, giving you any type of edge. But as long as I've been around, I haven't seen sticky substance give anyone an edge. If it gives them an edge, that's another thing.”