Cashman on Pineda: “We’re talking June of next year”

Via ESPN NY: Brian Cashman provided a brief update on injured right-hander Michael Pineda during a recent radio appearance. “We have to keep him off our radar for now,” said the GM. “We’re talking June of next year … the second half of next year.”

Pineda, 23, had surgery to repair a torn labrum on May 1st of this year and his target return date was one year out of surgery. The last real update we’ve had on his rehab progress came in mid-June (other than the DUI), when we heard he was on target to start throwing in mid-September. Frankly, it’s not all that surprising that his return will take a little longer than expected — it’s a major surgery and they’ll obviously be conservative. Either way, the Yankees would be wise to proceed under the assumption that Pineda will contribute nothing next year. Anything they get out of him is a bonus.