The New York Yankees are set to get Masahiro Tanaka back soon after a stint on the 15-day DL and the pitcher may make a couple more starts on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre following his three shutout innings on Thursday.
Tanaka landed on the disabled list while dealing with some forearm and wrist issues and now the Yankees are hoping that he can remain healthy for the rest of the season. According to Hardball Talk, Tanaka could make one or two more starts in the minors before rejoining the Yankees. David Lennon of New York Newsday reported that Tanaka felt good after the start and he threw 41 pitches overall, with 25 for strikes.
Tanaka was diagnosed with a right forearm strain and tendinitis in his right wrist and he is also pitching with a partially-torn ligament in his right elbow. The Yankees are hoping that Tanaka will avoid Tommy John surgery like Adam Wainwright did for a while and the rotation surely could use him back. Tanaka will still need get stretched out before coming back and the team has their fingers crossed about his ulnar collateral ligament.
Tanaka comes in with a 3.22 ERA in four starts this season and he is averaging over a strikeout per inning in 22 innings pitched. The Yankees and Rays are close at the top of the American League East and getting Tanaka back would help stabilize the rotation. Michael Pineda has pitched very well, but he got roughed up in his last start, while CC Sabathia has been up and down this season.
