KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Masahiro Tanaka has a ways to go before he repeats the dominance of last season, before a small tear in the right ulnar collateral ligament was discovered in July.
However, the performance delivered by the right-hander Wednesday night against the Braves at Champion Stadium gave the Yankees hope on multiple fronts: the ace dominated and showed no signs of physical distress.
“Overall, I think everything was good,’’ Tanaka said of the 48-pitch outing that set the stage for a 12-5 Yankees win that took almost four hours to complete.
Following a 19-pitch first inning, Tanaka required 11 offerings in the second and five in the third. In his second exhibition season start, Tanaka was allowed to begin the fourth inning.
After needing seven pitches to get the first two batters, Tanaka left after Freddie Freeman spanked an 89 mph pitch to right for a double. Manager Joe Girardi replaced Tanaka with Jose Ramirez.
In 3²/₃ shutout innings, Tanaka gave up two hits and whiffed three. In 5²/₃ spring frames he hasn’t given up a run, allowing two hits while fanning five.
“I think it was as good as the first start,’’ Tanaka said.
The highest Tanaka pushed the speed gun was to 92 mph and, according to a scout, didn’t throw an excessive amount of split-fingered fastballs.
He reached 92 twice during a nine-pitch at-bat to Freeman in the first inning, which ended with Freeman swinging through an 84 mph pitch he said was a “back-door slider.’’
After all the talk about the elbow and the risk the Yankees were taking by attempting to rehab it instead of having Tommy John surgery done on their $175 million investment, there hasn’t been a hiccup so far.
“I try not to put too many expectations on myself. I try to go out there and be the best I can every time I go to the mound,’’ Tanaka said.
Girardi has vowed not to live and die with each Tanaka pitch.
“I am pleased with the way he has been throwing,’’ Girardi said. “Since Day 1 we have been pleased. If I am going to be on the edge of my seat it’s going to be a long year.’’
Considering the cloud surrounding Tanaka’s elbow and because his signature pitch, a filthy split-fingered fastball, has been linked to torn UCLs, Girardi was asked about reducing the numbers of splitters Tanaka throws.
“I don’t think you can ask him to stop pitching the way he pitches, because [then] you feel like you are going out there without all your weapons,’’ Girardi said. “That’s probably not great for confidence, so I don’t think you really do it.’’
Tanaka has mentioned several times his body feels better this spring than a year ago, when he experienced his first spring training outside Japan.
Well aware of the elbow situation, Girardi said he isn’t surprised Tanaka feels the way he does.
“We felt his arm is pretty good. We have taken it a little different this spring,’’ the manager said before Wednesday night’s game. “Maybe a little bit slower and given him plenty of time to get ready. Maybe he had a better idea of what to expect. He never had been through an American spring training before. Maybe that helped him, prepare, too.’’
Though the UCL issue never will vanish, Girardi said he doesn’t stay up nights wondering if the decision to rehab it instead of Tommy John surgery eventually will lead to Tanaka’s elbow turning to spaghetti. Going into Wednesday night’s action, Girardi talked as if there was no uncertainty hanging over the right-hander’s head.
“You want to see him command his fastball, use his curveball effectively like he is capable of, his slider,’’ Girardi said. “I always feel he uses his split effectively.’’
