ATLANTA -- In his final Spring Training start, right-hander Michael Pineda struck out six in five innings on Friday in the Yankees' 8-5 loss to the Braves at SunTrust Park.
"I felt pretty good tonight," Pineda said. "Ready for the season."
Pineda allowed six hits, the biggest blow a three-run homer by Freddie Freeman in the third.
With two outs, Pineda walked Dansby Swanson before Freeman pounced on a slider and drove it to right field.
"That's what we've talked about," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "It's really important that he cleans those up, that he gets that third out and that the inning doesn't continue; Swanson gets on ahead of Freeman, you're asking for trouble."
Girardi said his No. 3 starter is ready to go, despite that need to work on getting out of an inning.
"Sometimes it's relaxing more than focus -- just make the same pitches that you've been making," Girardi said. "You have to not let the game speed up on you. So you get a couple guys out, make a pitch and get out of the inning."