The New York Yankees have a number of issues surrounding their starting rotation as they enter the 2015 season. On Monday they received good news regarding the most glaring injury to their top starter.
Pitching coach Larry Rothschild told reporters today at the Yankees minor league complex that Masahiro Tanaka was doing well this offseason and reports on his right elbow have been positive. The right-hander partially tore his UCL back in July during a start against the Cleveland Indians. Doctors recommended he try rehabbing the injury first before undergoing surgery, and that's what he decided to do.
"So far he's felt good," Rothschild said, via the Associated Press. "He's had a good winter."
"The last start he didn't pitch well, but he didn't feel bad," Rothschild added. "We've got to manage a few guys in spring training and try and get them through healthy, and he's one of them."
Tanaka returned at the end of September to make a couple of starts before the season ended and had mixed results. Against the Toronto Blue Jays on Sept. 21, the 26-year-old threw 5 1/3 innings and gave up five hits and one earned run on the way to a 5-2 victory. However, six days later he was thrashed by the Boston Red Sox and couldn't get out of the second inning. He tossed 1 2/3 innings and surrendered seven runs (five earned) on seven hits and two walks.
The Japanese hurler has pitched in only 48 games over the past two years and 70 in the past three between the Japan Pacific League and MLB. Although his rehab process has seemingly been going well, the team needs to make sure his elbow is strong enough to last the entire 2015 season because they'll need him if they want to avoid missing the playoffs for the third consecutive year.
New York's rotation is littered with injuries, starting with Tanaka and going down the list: C.C. Sabathia (season-ending knee surgery), Michael Pineda (13 starts over the past three seasons) and Ivan Nova (Tommy John surgery).
Tanaka's progress throughout spring training will likely be closely monitored.
