Michael Pineda return suffers setback, A.J. Pollock breaks hand

Michael Pineda suffers a setback as he tries to return to the Yankees, and Mike Trout sits out with back stiffness.

Jun 1, 2014, 11:00 AM UTC

Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

More than a month removed from the last time he pitched -- which doubled as the night his name would become forever synonymous with "pine tar" -- Yankees pitcher Michael Pineda is still unable to make his way back to the mound, according to ESPN New York.

The lat injury that put him on the DL has forced him to shut things down after he felt discomfort during a game of catch on Friday. While manager Joe Girardi is not happy about it, he’s taking the injury in stride, telling reporters, “This was not the news we wanted, but it’s what we’re dealing with. He’s going to be shut down for a while.”

Pineda has played almost none of the three seasons he's been a member of the Yankees in the major leagues, with the last two seasons wiped out because of a shoulder injury. He had started off strong in 2014 with a 1.83 ERA in four starts, before serving a 10-game suspension following his blatant use of pine tar during a game at Fenway against the Red Sox that would eventually dovetail into this stint out of action.

This injury, along with the loss of Ivan Nova for the season and CC Sabathia for a spell with knee inflammation, is a major setback for the Yankees' playoff hopes in what continues to be one of the toughest divisions in all of sports.