New York Yankees Rumors: Masahiro Tanaka Ready To Take Mound For Yankees Again
New York Yankees rumors provide good news on Masahiro Tanaka. Tanaka will start for the Yankees’ Triple-A affiliate on Wednesday (May 27), continuing his rehab from right forearm soreness and wrist tendinitis. As reported by the New York Post, Tanaka is scheduled to throw around 65 pitches for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barrer in his second rehab start. This could also be his last game in the minor leagues before getting activated from the disabled list.
Fantasy baseball owners are rejoicing about this news, but so is Yankees general manager Brian Cashman. Cashman has received a lot of heat for the huge contract he extended to Tanaka as a free agent and might be very close to seeing some more results from him at the Major League level. This also has to please Yankees manager Joe Girardi, who has been struggling to keep a competitive starting rotation going for the team. Cashman commented on the prospects of Tanaka returning soon.
We know how much he means to this team. Him being healthy changes this team a lot.
Though he has made just four starts during the 2015 MLB season, Masahiro Tanaka has looked really good on the mound. He has a 2-1 record with a 3.22 ERA and 0.940 WHIP. Tanaka also has 24 strikeouts and has allowed just 14 hits in 22 1/3 innings of work. Those are numbers that the Yankees would love to see continue this season, especially as the team tries to get back into first place in the American League East.
Joe Giradi will be paying close attention to how Tanaka does on Wednesday, especially because it could mean that he will return to the New York Yankees by the weekend. That would be a big deal for a team that has struggled in recent weeks, even as the offense has really started to come alive. Adding Tanaka back to a rotation that has Michael Pineda leading the way would certainly turn the Yankees into a formidable threat in the East. Regarding what Giradi is looking for from these rehab starts, he spoke at length about his expectations.
“I think you want to hear that the stuff was sharp, that he was able to locate his pitches, that he was able to use his pitches and he feels comfortable the next day.”
As previously reported on the Inquisitr, it cost the New York Yankees $155 million to sign Masahiro Tanaka, underscoring the investment they have made in the ace. What the team now needs is for him to stay healthy and live up to one of the richest contracts a starting pitcher has received.
[Image Source: Brian Blanco/Getty Images]
