Two members of the New York Yankees that had a tough time in 2014 look to be rebounding nicely. Masahiro Tanaka's recovery from a partially torn UCL seems to be on the right track and Alex Rodriguez has put his yearlong PED suspension behind him.
According to Daniel Barbarisi of the Wall Street Journal, it "looks like Tanaka is the Opening Day starter barring something unforeseen." Tanaka's rehab process since partially tearing the UCL in his right elbow last July has been going well and he made his spring training debut on Mar. 12 with success. In two starts (5 2/3 innings) this spring he is 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA, 0.35 WHIP and five strikeouts.
The right-hander has yet to report any issues with his elbow, and manager Joe Girardi and pitching coach Larry Rothschild have been pleased with his progress and commitment throughout the rehab. Tanaka worked on strengthening his arm in the offseason and didn't throw his first bullpen session until Feb. 19. Rothschild said the reports on his elbow have been positive.
Tanaka said after his first start that he was close to throwing how he would in the regular season. As for potentially kicking off 2015 for the Bronx Bombers:
"Absolutely, it will be a great honor to be able to pitch opening day," he told The AP. "Being able to pitch on that very first day of the season, I think it says a lot about what the organization is expecting out of a pitcher."
CC Sabathia will be unavailable on Opening Day because he'll be on short rest, so it looks like Tanaka will be the guy.
On the offensive side of the ball, Alex Rodriguez has looked good after missing the entire 2014 season as he served a yearlong suspension for performance-enhancing drug use. In 12 spring training games the former AL MVP is slashing .286/.394/.536/.930 with three runs scored, two home runs and three RBIs, on top of getting some work at the team's minor league camp.
Girardi seems pleased with A-Rod's progress.
"I definitely think he's swung the bat pretty good," he told Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News. "I just think his at-bats are more consistent; his timing is more consistent."
This is good news for Rodriguez's campaign to become the team's full-time designated hitter, which general manager Brian Cashman previously said would likely be his role with the team moving forward. New York signed third baseman Chase Headley to a four-year deal, so Rodriguez won't be playing there unless Headley gets injured or needs rest.
It's been a quiet spring for A-Rod and that has been good for him as well as the team. The slugger addressed the media at the onset of spring training to avoid the potential ongoing circus that many believed would ensue, and now it looks like he could be a contributor for the team in 2015.