New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman expects recently-signed pitcher Masahiro Tanaka to be No. 3 in the pitching rotation for the upcoming season. Alex Rodriguez, meanwhile, dropped the lawsuit he filed against MLB over his suspension.
The Yankees signed Tanaka in January to a seven-year contract worth $155 million. Despite making Tanaka the fifth-highest paid pitcher in MLB history, Cashman doesn't see him moving ahead of the No. 3 spot in the pitching rotation.
"We view him to be a really solid, consistent No. 3 starter," Cashman said on Friday during an interview on ESPN Radio. "If we get more than that, all the better. He's got a great deal of ability.
"There is definitely some unknown because of the transition. We scouted him extensively. Certainly, we look forward to adding him into the mix with the rest of our rotation. That's what we look at him as: A solid, potential No. 3 starter in the big leagues. ...
"No, he is not someone who is going to, in the front end of this thing, pitch in the front of the rotation."
Cashman also expects Tanaka to go through "some growing pains" as the 25-year-old transitions from playing in Japan to playing in the major league.
"Those are things he is going to have to work through and adjust," said Cashman. "We look forward that he is a Yankee and we will be in position, with our experience in the past, to maximize his potential as he goes through that."
Tanaka caught the eye of scouts after going 24-0 with a 1.27 ERA in Japan. The Yankees will officially introduce Tanaka on Tuesday at 1 p.m. ET.
Rodriguez also made news on Friday. The veteran withdrew his lawsuit against the MLB and the players' association, according to the Associated Press. Dropping the lawsuit could be a sign Rodriguez plans to accept his 162-game suspension and postseason ban for the upcoming season.
Rodriguez sued two days after arbitrator Fredric Horowitz ruled to uphold Rodriguez's suspension for using performance-enhancing drugs. Horowitz reduced the initial suspension from 211 games to 162 games.