Yankees ace Masahiro Tanaka has been diagnosed with a slight flexor mass strain in his right forearm and won’t throw for the next five days, manager Joe Girardi told reporters, including Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News (Twitter link). Tanaka’s injury obviously means that he’ll miss at least one start, though pitching coach Larry Rothschild emphasized that there’s nothing wrong with the right-hander’s ulnar collateral ligament (via ESPN New York’s Andrew Marchand). Tanaka suffered a minor tear of the UCL during his rookie season but never underwent Tommy John surgery and has seemingly recovered (or at the very least has pitched through it without issue).
The loss of Tanaka, even for one start, is a difficult pill for the Yankees to swallow as their dwindling Wild Card hopes now look a bit more bleak. New York currently sits two and a half games back in the AL Wild Card race, but they’re trailing both Wild Card holders (Baltimore and Toronto) as well as the Tigers, Astros and Mariners in that race. Tanaka himself feels that the injury won’t be season-ending, telling reporters that he believes he’ll be able to “come back strong” before year’s end (Twitter link via MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch).
If, however, Tanaka isn’t able to return to the hill, it’ll only add another layer of uncertainty to the Yankees’ rotation picture heading into an offseason where starting pitching will almost certainly be a focus for general manager Brian Cashman and his staff. The Yankees can currently only pencil in Tanaka, Michael Pineda and CC Sabathia to next year’s rotation, and while that trio somewhat incredibly has combined to make 89 starts so far this season, there are notable injury concerns with each of the group, making it difficult to assume they’ll be able to replicate that feat in 2017. Beyond those veterans, the Yankees have inexperienced (and, in some cases, inconsistent) arms like Luis Severino, Chad Green, Bryan Mitchell and Luis Cessa as rotation options, but that group of seven doesn’t figure to be enough depth to survive a season, let alone to contend for an AL East title.
he should have had tommy john surgery two years ago
Why? He has recovered.
Agree. This is different, supposedly which is a miracle since he’s thrown 300 innings since with same velocity and I can’t see anyone being effective that long with a significant tear that long AND maintaining velocity, too much to ask.
Go back and remember Lackey circa 2011. 160 innings, but awful results from one of the most dedicated players in recent history. If Tanaka HAS been playing with a tear that long? He’s a big,big man.
Adam Wainwright pitched like 8 or 9 years with a partial tear. Ervin Santana, like Tanaka, pitches with a partial tear as well (since 2009 actually)
Felix Hernandez has also pitched with a tear for more than the last 5 seasons and has been dominate during that time until this season.
Had no idea King Felix had one too. That’s interesting.
Well he won’t admit too it, but past coaches have said he does and it’s pretty easy to tell somthing is going on. He was throwing 95 at 14 and got into the majors at 19, that’s a lot of stress on a arm.
Absolutely.
Absolutely. He should have had the surgery.
Lmao. Was waiting for the “He should have had the surgery” comments. Very first comment had it.
Tanaka should have listened to the Internet doctors instead of world class surgeons including Dr James Andrews.
World class surgeons make mistakes too.
World class surgeons do make mistakes. That’s why he made the right decision in not having the surgery. Not all surgeries are successful.
Well none of them did and I think they know a lot more than you Dr Adrian
Adrian, you are in no position to assess that James Andrews made a mistake about Tanaka.
More than world class internet doctors?
A strained forearm can lead to ulnar nerve issues. Given the partial tear the Yankees really need to shut Tanaka down. With the partial tear and strained flexor if he pushes too hard he very well could then wind up with needing Tommy John surgery