Masahiro Tanaka Stats
- Height / Weight
- 6' 3" / 218 lbs.
- Date of Birth (Age)
- 11/1/1988 (35)
- Experience
- 6
- College
- None
Masahiro Tanaka Season Stats
Last 10 Games
Masahiro Tanaka News
Free-agent starting pitcher Masahiro Tanaka signed a one-year contract with the Rakuten Golden Eagles on Thursday after his market failed to materialize in the ice-cold MLB offseason. Tanaka enjoyed a successful seven-year stint with the Yankees, leaving the team with a solid 3.74 ERA and several strong playoff performances. With COVID-19 hopefully a non-issue in 2022, it wouldn't be shocking to see Tanaka return to the MLB after his deal in Japan, although the 32-year-old is most likely to either stay in Japan or pitch for the Yankees again given his reported preferences. With Tanaka now overseas, he can be ignored in redraft formats for the 2021 fantasy baseball season.
Free-agent starting pitcher Masahiro Tanaka is reportedly advancing negotiations to return to Japan and play for his original team, the Rakuten Eagles of Nippon Professional Baseball. Tanaka could receive a formal offer from the Eagles this week. The Yankees additions of Corey Kluber and Jameson Taillon in the last 10 days has made it unlikely that they'd re-sign the right-hander. The 32-year-old played in Japan from 2007-13 and signed a seven-year, $155 million deal with New York before the 2014 season. He went 78-46 with a 3.74 ERA in 173 starts, including going 5-4 with a 3.33 ERA in 10 playoff starts for the Bombers. His 2020 season was delayed due to a concussion, but he went 3-3 with a 3.56 ERA in 10 starts and would've been a solid fantasy arm had he stayed in the States. It's not official yet, but it looks like fantasy managers will be crossing Tanaka off their cheat sheets in 2021.
With the New York Yankees signing right-hander Corey Kluber to a one-year, $11 million deal on Friday, it could shut the door on the team re-signing starting pitcher Masahiro Tanaka. Luis Severino (elbow) is due back from Tommy John surgery in 2021 at some point, Domingo German will return from a suspension and the club has young arms in Deivi Garcia, Michael King and Clarke Schmidt ready for more opportunities. Gerrit Cole, Jordan Montgomery and Kluber should fill the top three rotation spots. The Yankees are also re-signing second baseman DJ LeMahieu, with his and Kluber's contracts putting the Yanks around $10 million away from the first competitive balance tax threshold of $210 million. If Tanaka's market outside of New York isn't very robust, there's a chance that he could return to Japan. He had a decent 3.56 ERA and 1.17 WHIP with a 22.3 percent strikeout rate and a 4.1 percent walk rate in 48 innings in 2020.