New York Yankees: Should they let Masahiro Tanaka pitch in the WBC?
By Jason Evans
Should the New York Yankees allow Masahiro Tanaka to pitch for Japan in the 2017 WBC?
In 2017, team Japan should go into the World Baseball Classic as one of the favorites in the tournament. One of the arms they could have is Yankees ace Masahiro Tanaka.
Tanaka is coming off a quite good 2016. He was third in WAR, third in ERA, fifth in WHIP and was one out away from a 200 inning season.
But Tanaka was coming off surgery for a bone spur and there is that potential Tommy John surgery looming at some point with the partial tear. Shouldn’t the Yankees have him save those pitches for their season, especially with all of their questions regarding their rotation for the upcoming year?
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Here’s what GM Brian Cashman said in his press conference for the end of the season.
"“I don’t think we have say in that … Even though he felt healthy and looked fine and all that stuff, we made the right choice in saying you know what, see you in the spring, whether it’s going to be in Tampa or in the WBC.”"
Well, the Yankees are the ones paying him $22 million next year. Shouldn’t they have some say? Mark Teixeira hurt his wrist in prep for the 2013 season during training for the WBC and was basically done for the season. The Yankees can’t afford to have anything happen to Tanaka if they want to have any shot of getting back to the postseason in 2017.
Tanaka pitched in 2009 and 2013 and helped Japan beat South Korea in the finals in 2009. He had a 45 inning increase this past season as well.
If I’m Brian Cashman I want Tanaka in camp with my club and not pitching for Japan in the WBC. I wouldn’t want my best pitcher potentially injuring himself in the WBC, especially for a team lacking starting pitching depth. If he gets hurt in Yankees camp, so be it, but if something were to happen in prep for the WBC, it’s going to make the Yankees look quite foolish.