ST. PETERSBURG -- Michael Pineda will have at least one more chance to turn his troubled season around. Yankees manager Joe Girardi said that no changes have been discussed to the rotation, with Pineda set to take the ball for Thursday's makeup game against the Tigers in Detroit.
"We still believe in Michael," Girardi said. "It's some minor adjustments that Michael needs to make. Yesterday he was not able to get the ball to the first-base side. That's something you have to be able to do against right-handed-hitting lineups.
"He's going to see a right-handed-hitting lineup that swings the bat really well in Detroit. We have to straighten some things out before we get there."
Pineda was thumped for six runs and nine hits in just 3 2/3 innings on Saturday, taking the loss as the Yankees dropped a 9-5 decision to the Rays at Tropicana Field. Through 10 starts, Pineda's 6.92 ERA is the worst of any qualified big league starter, but Girardi said the Yankees still have faith in the 27-year-old.
"I think if you'd never seen Michael have success, it would be a lot tougher," Girardi said. "But we've seen Michael have success. We've seen Michael be very good. To me, it's in there. We've just got to get it out."
Pineda has allowed six runs or more in four of 10 starts this season. His velocity readings have not suggested a physical issue to Girardi or pitching coach Larry Rothschild, who believes that Pineda may simply be overthrowing.
"I think it's adrenaline and overthrowing and trying to power his way through it, even with breaking balls," Rothschild said. "We need to get some of this straightened out and get some ground balls and get some quicker outs in innings with location of fastballs and breaking balls."
Girardi said that there was no conference call with general manager Brian Cashman to discuss alternatives, possibly because there are few at this time.
While Girardi said he liked what Luis Cessa did in four innings of relief on Saturday, the Yanks' depth choices at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre are thin, with Chad Green having pitched the best of that club's starters.
Luis Severino is scheduled to throw 50 to 60 pitches on Sunday for Class A Advanced Tampa at Brevard County, but he would not be built up or on turn to make Thursday's start. Severino was 0-6 with a 7.46 ERA in seven starts before going on the disabled list with a right triceps strain.
"As I said, we have not talked about making any changes," Girardi said. "Those are things you might think about if you had someone who was an ace and young and dealing -- you might think about it -- but Michael's young. Michael needs to get this done for us."