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Tanaka fulfilling huge expectations
- Updated: September 5, 2016
NEW YORK — Though Masahiro Tanaka doesn’t nearly have the zip on the ball exhibited in the early part of his Major League career, he has remained injury-free and quietly putting together an outstanding season.
Working into the seventh inning of Monday’s crucial 5-3 Labor Day win over the Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium, Tanaka was knocked around a little bit, but displayed the requisite toughness of a right-hander who has pitched seven seasons in Japan and the last three with the Yankees.
He is 12-4 with a 3.11 ERA, and when you consider that he’s pitching in the American League East, and has been slammed with 12 no-decisions this year, his season could have been that much better.
The Yankees have scored just 72 runs for Tanaka in his 28 starts.
“He’s pitched great,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. “Any time you have a three ERA in the AL East, you’ve pitched very well. He’s given us a chance to win a lot of games.”
To that point, the Yankees have won 20 of the 28 games Tanaka has started, including the last six in row. He’s 5-0 since losing for the last time against the Mets, when he was shelled in a 7-1 loss at Citi Field on Aug. 2.
With their starting rotation narrowed to veterans Tanaka, CC Sabathia, Michael Pineda, rookie Luis Cessa and a fifth starter Girardi called “Johnny Wholestaff,” the Yankees don’t have much margin for error as they attempt to hang in there for an American League Wild Card spot.
Girardi obviously was kidding when asked what his options are to replace the injured Chad Green against the Jays on Wednesday.
“Johnny and Johnny,” the manager said. “It could be [Bryan] Mitchell. That hasn’t been our plan. There’s just some things we’ve got to talk about and see where we are after Tuesday night.”
Green was diagnosed with a sprained right ulnar collateral ligament and a strained flexor tendon after being forced to leave during …
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