According to a source, free-agent starting pitcher Masahiro Tanaka is talking to a number of teams besides the Yankees, however, clubs have expressed some concerns over the results of his physical.
Source: Free-agent pitcher Masahiro Tanaka has been talking to a number of teams besides the Yankees but there are some concerns from clubs regarding the results of his physical
Tanaka slightly tore his UCL in his pitching elbow back in 2014, which did not require surgery
— Pat Ragazzo (@ragazzoreport) January 12, 2021
Tanaka slightly tore his ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching elbow back in 2014, which did not require surgery. While Tanaka has been able to pitch through it for the past six seasons with no issues, his medicals have allegedly scared off at least one AL team.
Back in December, Randy Miller of NJ Advance Media reported that Tanaka would either re-sign with the Yankees or go back to pitch in Japan for his former team the Rakuten Golden Eagles. But Tanaka later refuted this report in a tweet stating that his camp was not limiting his options and would consider all teams that were interested in him.
自分自身の今後について、ヤンキース、または日本でプレーする以外の選択肢はないといった内容の記事が一部メディアで報道されていますが、そのような事実はありません。
この段階では、来季プレーをしたいチームを限定しておらず、自分に興味を持ってくださる全ての球団の中から考えています。— 田中将大🦂/MASAHIRO TANAKA (@t_masahiro18) January 2, 2021
Since signing a seven-year, $155 million deal with the Yankees back in 2014, Tanaka has made 173 starts going 78-46 while posting a career 3.74 ERA, a 1.13 WHIP and 991 strikeouts.
