The New York Yankees have been eagerly anticipating the debut of Michael Pineda since trading for him from the Seattle Mariners before last year and now the team is getting close to that reality, as he made a rehab start in Tampa.

According to Hardball Talk, Pineda was solid in four-plus innings in his first rehab start and he allowed one unearned run during the game after paying with High-A Tampa and playing the Tigers' High-A affiliate in Lakeland. Pineda has been coming back from a shoulder surgery that was needed last year and he had one walk and four strikeouts and could be up with the Yankees by the end of the month.

Pineda came over in a trade for Jesus Montero and Hector Noesi, but after suffering a shoulder injury in spring training, he missed the entire season and now he will be back about 14 months later. While with the Mariners in 2011 he posted a 3.74 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 9.1 K/9 in 171 innings.

The Yankee rotation has been solid all year, but it needs some depth in the back end and with CC Sabathia, Hiroki Kuroda, David Phelps, Phil Hughes and Pineda coming in, the pitching continues to look strong. The Yankees have played very well his season despite age and injuries and they just won three of four from Pineda's Mariners.