New York Yankees: Masahiro Tanaka to Skip World Baseball Classic
The Japanese pitching staff will have one less pitcher during the World Baseball Classic. New York Yankees ace, Masahiro Tanaka, said Monday that he does not intend on playing in the WBC. The right-hander is still recovering from a partially torn UCL in his right elbow that he suffered last season. To this point, Tanaka has been able to avoid surgery on the elbow and pitch through it.
According to the Associated Press, Tanaka said Monday, “Taking various things into consideration, it would be difficult so I will not participate.” It’s probable that the Yankees did not want Tanaka to pitch in the WBC, considering his elbow issues over the past couple of seasons. It looks like Tanaka is ready to focus on the Yankees 2017 season.
Tanaka is currently under a seven-year, $155 million deal with the New York Yankees that he signed in 2014. The deal includes an option for Tanaka to opt-out after the 2017 season. The Yankees and Brian Cashman have said that they have not met with Tanaka’s camp to discuss an extension with the right-hander.
If Tanaka pitches well this season, look for him to opt-out and make a lot of money on the free-agent market. There is currently a huge need for pitching, and it will show the closer we get to this year’s trade deadline. The Tanaka contract situation will be something to keep your eye on over the next couple of months as the season approaches.
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Tanaka last pitched in the WBC in 2013 and also in 2009. He helped the Japanese team win the second of consecutive championships in 2009.
Tanaka, 28, finished last season with a 14-4 record, 3.07 ERA, and 165 strikeouts. He pitched very well considering he did have that partially torn UCL most of the season. He missed the 200 innings mark by only one out and finished seventh in the Cy Young Award voting.
There has been only one Major League player to commit to play for Japan in the WBC. Nori Aoki of the Houston Astros was the only one. The Japanese team looks like it will be made up of mostly Nippon professional league players. Three other Japanese aces have also decided to sit out the tournament in Kenta Maeda, Yu Darvish, and Koji Uehara. The Japanese staff will not be as strong as it was in both the 2009 and 2013 tournaments.
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This year’s World Baseball Classic will be played between March 6th and March 22nd.