The bidding war for Japanese pitcher Masahiro Tanaka has officially begun and several teams are throwing their names into the ring. The right-hander has a $20 million pasting fee for any team looking to sign the 25-year-old. Many baseball insiders beleive he could command a $100 million contract on top of the fee, meaning any team interested will be making a large gamble on the pitcher.
ESPN's Jayson Stark reports that as of now, the Seattle Mariners are the top favorites to win the bid for Tanaka. The source reports Seattle is prepared to make one more big move this offseason and have the money to land the pitcher. The Mariners have already signed Robinson Cano to one of the richest contracts ever and now they are trying to put out the biggest international contract.
If Seattle can sign Tanaka, they become playoff contenders immediately. He would join the starting rotation of Felix Hernandez, Hisashi Iwakuma and Taijuan Walker. Pair those players with top hitters and the Mariners immediately enter the playoff discussion for the first time in several years.
If the Mariner's get removed from the discussion, what other teams are being players? The Los Angeles Times reports the Los Angeles Angels are looking to land the starter. Tanaka could play alongside Jered Weaver, CJ Wilson and Joe Blanton. If the Angels cannot land the Japanese ace, they will likely target Matt Garza or Bronson Arroyo with a contract after Ervin Santana and Ubaldo Jimenez rejected qualifying offers.
Many believe the New York Yankees will still make sure they are contenders for Tanaka. While the Yankees are trying to stay under a certain salary number, the temptation to get Tanaka cannot be denied. He went 24-0 with a 1.27 ERA in 2013. The pitcher could join CC Sabathia, Ivan Nova and Hiroki Kuroda in the rotation. All three starters struggled last season which is why Tanaka is at the top of the radar.
Many believe the pitcher will look to a West Coast team when it comes to making a decision. Removing weather as a factor could be key. Former manager Bobby Valentine reported to the New York Post that he believes international players would rather play out west, removing the Yankees from contention.
The Arizona Diamondbacks and the Kansas City Royals are just two more of the teams making their bids for Tanaka. Team will have until Jan. 24 the express their interest. Tanaka will then make a decision.
