Michael Pineda suspended 10 games for pine tar on neck

Pineda was ejected from Wednesday's game for having a foreign substance on his neck.

New York Yankees pitcher Michael Pineda has been suspended ten games for having an illegal substance on his neck during Wednesday's game against the Boston Red Sox. Pineda was ejected in the bottom of the second inning, when Red Sox manager John Farrell came to protest to home plate umpire Gerry Davis, notifying him of the illegal usage of pine tar. 

This is not the first time people have noticed pine tar on Pineda. On his April 10 start, also against Boston, Pineda presumed to have pine tar on his hand, which, of course, is also illegal. Pineda claimed it was dirt Since nothing was said, Farrell decided to speak up this time. 

"You could see it," Farrell told reporters after Boston's 5-1 win. "I could see it from the dugout. It was confirmed by a number of camera angels in the ballpark. And given the last time we faced him, I felt it was a necessity to say something. I fully respect on a cold night you're trying to get a little bit of a grip, but when it's that obvious, something has got to be said. 

Yahoo's Jeff Passan reports that Pineda will be paid during his suspension, and that he will not be fined. Although Pineda is facing a ten game suspension, it only means that he may have to miss one start, based on how the schedule works out for the Yankees. He still has yet to make a decision on an appeal. Pineda also admitted to using pine tar.  

"It was a really cold night, and in the first inning I [couldn't] feel the ball," Pineda said (via ESPN). "I don't want to like, hit anybody, so I decided to use it."

On the season, Pineda is 2-2 with a 1.83 ERA and a 2.61 FIP in 19 2/3 innings pitched. He has a 15/3 strikeout-to-walk ratio and has posted a 224 ERA+ while on the mound.