Michael Pineda’s Workload Will Be Watched Closely By Mariners

While it’s easy to fall into a correlation/causation trap, it sure seems like the Mariners handled everything fantastically with Hernandez’s development. Pineda has been one the best rookies in the majors this season, and his electric fastball has been the fastest in the game. With the Mariners already seven games back in the AL West, it makes all sorts of sense to formulate a plan like this early in the season and stick to it, even if it potentially hurts his Rookie-of-the-Year chances.

Pineda’s season ended early last year too, with the Mariners shutting him down after 139 innings between AA and AAA even though he wasn’t experiencing any physical discomfort. It’s a bold organizational plan that a lot of teams have trouble following, so it will be interesting to see if the Mariners have the same success with Pineda that they did with King Felix.