An Official Sayōnara to Masahiro Tanaka
Photo Via: Kathy Willens - AP PhotoOn January 22, 2014, a 25-year-old Masahiro Tanaka moved across the world to play Major League Baseball in the United States. Nearly every MLB team was interested in the hard-throwing, young Japanese superstar from the Rakuten Golden Eagles. The Yankees badly needed a new superstar as the franchise’s familiar faces faded away. Current Hall of Fame closer Mariano Rivera retired after the 2013 season and Yankees’ Captain (and also current Hall of Famer) Derek Jeter was less than a month away from announcing his retirement for after the 2014 season. MLB suspended third baseman Alex Rodriguez for the 2014 season, as well. Plus, the Yankees were more than halfway through C.C. Sabathia’s 9-year deal, after a season in which he posted his first ERA higher than 4.50 (4.78 ERA in 2013) in his career. Ultimately, the New York Yankees offered a 7-year, $155 million contract to the international sensation and Tanaka accepted.
To be clear, Tanaka was dominant in Japan. These were his statistics in his final season for Rakuten in 2013 (click to enlarge, via Baseball Reference):
In any professional league, 24 wins and 0 losses is a near-impossible feat. Yet, there Tanaka stood as an international free agent coming off one of the best seasons in Japanese baseball history.
When the star arrived in New York, he did not disappoint. He was an All-Star in 2014, with a 13-5 record, 2.77 ERA, and 3 complete games in 20 starts. But his season was interrupted when he suffered a partially-torn UCL in his throwing elbow. He opted to not undergo Tommy John Surgery, so many fans worried the tear would eventually result in more elbow damage. It cost Tanaka over two months of missed time and forced the righty to reinvent his pitching style. At the start of 2015, he was placed on the Injured List with forearm soreness, and all Yankees’ fans hearts dropped. But he returned a month later and continued to pitch for the Yankees (with the exception of some missed time for a pulled hamstring) through the Postseason. Tanaka started the one-game Wildcard against the Astros. He threw a respectable five innings allowing two runs. The Yankees were eliminated in a 3-0 loss, but Tanaka received his first taste of Postseason play in New York.
In fact, he thrived in October. The Yankees did not earn a Postseason berth in 2016 when Tanaka had a 14-4 record and a 3.07 ERA, but the club did not miss the Postseason again in Tanaka’s last four seasons.
In 2017, Tanaka had a rough regular season with a 4.74 ERA and 35 home runs allowed. But none of that mattered in October. Masahiro was shutdown, pitching 20 innings, not allowing a home run, and only allowing 2 runs (0.90 ERA). The line is even more impressive when considering that his only two runs were surrendered in Houston. The Yankees were one win away from punching their ticket to the World Series, becoming so close in thanks to the consistent efforts by Tanaka.
Tanaka bounced back in the 2018 regular season, starting 27 games with a 3.75 ERA and striking out more than a batter per inning. He also delivered again in the Postseason. In the American League Division Series, he was tasked with starting Game 2 in Fenway Park. He battled for 5 innings, only allowing a solo home run to Xander Bogaerts in a 6-2 win.
The Yankees did not make it past Boston in 2018, but Tanaka came back and earned his second All-Star Game selection in 2019. Ultimately, his season ERA was inflated by a start against Boston in the London Series. But once again, none of that mattered in the Postseason. He repeated his ALDS line from the previous year, throwing 5 innings with 1 earned run against the Twins in Game 2, which the Yankees won 8-2. He made two starts versus the Astros in the American League Championship Series: one at Houston and one in New York. In Game 1 at Houston, Tanaka shoved for 6 shutout innings, only allowing 1 hit. He was less fortunate in Game 4, as the Yankees lost 8-3 after Tanaka allowed 4 runs (3 earned). The Yankees’ season ended there, but Tanaka’s career Postseason numbers were downright ridiculous at this point (46 innings, 1.76 ERA, 8 starts).
After suffering a concussion in the team’s 2020 Summer Camp, Masahiro returned to the mound and started 10 games in the COVID-shortened season. He posted a 3.56 ERA and 1.17 WHIP, helping the Yankees earn a playoff appearance once again. Things in the Postseason did not go his way, but many outside factors helped that be the case. In Game 2 of the AL Wild Card Series in Clevelan, Tanaka took the mound in a torrential downpour and struggled with gripping his pitches. Cleveland scored 4 runs in the first inning, and the game was delayed due to the rain. He came back and threw three scoreless frames before allowing 2 more runs in the 5th inning. The Yankees did win the game 10-9 and advanced to the ALDS versus Tampa. Tanaka’s Game 3 start against Tampa culminated in an 8-4 win for the Rays. Tanaka had taken the field for the last time in a Yankees uniform, wearing Pinstripes inside Petco Park, playing against the Rays in a neutral-site Postseason game.
Tanaka’s career has now come full circle. Today, Masahiro Tanaka tweeted that he is returning to the Rakuten Eagles after the Yankees failed to reach a new deal with him.
The ending of Tanaka’s career with the Yankees is unfortunately abrupt, but the ending does not negate the ride he had on his way to becoming one of the most likeable Yankees in the team’s long history. Tanaka will always be remembered as a gamer and one of the best Japanese players in Major League history.
He accomplished his goal of succeeding for the New York Yankees and became a star the organization so desperately needed.