Masahiro

Tanaka

The 34-year-old hurler will earn $3.6 million. It’ll be his third season back in Japan after his contract with the Yankees ended following the 2020 season. Tanaka registered a 3.31 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and a 126/30 K/BB ratio over 163 innings in 2022.

Tanaka didn’t rule out a return to Major League Baseball when he inked a deal with Rakuten back in January, but if it happens it won’t come in 2022. The 33-year-old held a 3.01 ERA over 23 starts in Japan in 2021.

The right-hander signed a two-year deal to return to Japan, but it sounds like he’ll test the MLB free agent market again after those two seasons. Tanaka, who owns a 3.74 ERA and 1.13 WHIP over seven seasons with the Yankees, would be 34-years old heading into the 2023 season.

Even though the writing has been on the wall for weeks, this still feels like a stunning development, and a serious indictment on the current financial landscape in Major League Baseball. Unless, of course, Tanaka simply wanted to return home after a seven-year run in New York. The right-hander began his professional career with the Rakuten Eagles of Nippon Professional Baseball way back in 2007 at the age of 18. Now age 32, he posted a sharp 3.56 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, and 44/8 K/BB ratio in 48 innings (10 starts) last year with the Yankees.

There has been chatter for weeks now that Tanaka might really head back to his native country, and the Yankees’ recent acquisitions of starting pitchers Corey Kluber and Jameson Taillon might have spurred that consideration even further. Rakuten is set to open spring training next week, so these reported negotiations between Tanaka and his former NPB team could move quickly. The 32-year-old registered a 3.56 ERA, 1.167 WHIP, and 44/8 K/BB ratio over 48 innings (10 starts) for New York during MLB’s condensed 2020 campaign.

That doesn’t necessarily mean another MLB team. As speculated in recent weeks, Heyman writes that there appears to be “strong interest” in Japan and it’s more likely he could get a “much bigger” deal there. That’s partially an indictment of how MLB teams are spending this offseason. Tanaka turned 32 in November and posted a 3.56 ERA and 44/8 K/BB ratio in 48 innings across 10 starts with the Yankees in 2020.

We don’t usually blurb speculation, but Tanaka himself told the Japanese media earlier this month that he was legitimately considering heading home. And it’s a fact at this point that Nippon Professional Baseball clubs have been more aggressive financially in the 2020-2021 offseason than Major League Baseball clubs. Tanaka, 32, put up a 3.56 ERA and 44/8 K/BB ratio over 48 innings (10 starts) this past summer with the Yankees.

The rotation wouldn’t seem to be an area of need for San Diego after the additions of Blake Snell and Yu Darvish, but Rosenthal suggests that there may be more concern than the team is letting on about the health of Dinelson Lamet, who did not pitch in the 2020 postseason due to a biceps injury. Darvish and Tanaka are longtime friends, and current Padres pitching coach Larry Rothschild was Tanaka’s first pitching coach with the Yankees. The 32-year-old right-hander registered a strong 3.56 ERA, 1.167 WHIP, and 44/8 K/BB ratio over 48 innings (10 starts) for New York in 2020 yet has faced a slow-moving market like many other free agents.

Tanaka was a star for the Rakuten Eagles for seven seasons before signing with the Yankees ahead of the 2014 campaign. While the 32-year-old is one of many facing an uncertain market this winter, it would still be a huge surprise if he doesn’t ultimately sign with a major league club. Tanaka held a 3.56 ERA and 44/8 K/BB ratio over 48 innings cover 10 starts for the Yankees in 2020.

This doesn’t mean that the Yankees won’t circle back to Tanaka at some point, but as of now the team’s main focus is retaining DJ LeMahieu. The club is claiming losses due to the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic and might not be able to afford both. If they were to keep LeMahieu, they could look instead to a bargain bounceback candidate. However, as of now, Martino notes that the Yankees “are barely engaged” in the free agent starter market, especially compared to the crosstown Mets. Tanaka, 32, posted a 3.56 ERA and 44/8 K/BB ratio in 48 innings over 10 starts this past season.