After seven years with the New York Yankees, free agent Masahiro Tanaka’s right-hand man announced on Thursday that he will return to Japan to play for the Rakuten Golden Eagles in the Nippon Professional Baseball League.
“I decided to return to Japan and play for the Rakuten Eagles in the 2021 season,” Tanaka wrote. and Twitter. “I wanted to make sure and get in touch with you and thank you for all the love and support you have given me in the last 7 seasons.
“I feel extremely lucky to have the opportunity to take the field as a member of the New York Yankees and play in front of all your passionate fans. It was an honor and a privilege! Thank you very much!”
WELCOME HOME OUR HERO !!!! https://t.co/2WoFI9XjKJ#RakutenEagles #Welcome back pic.twitter.com/2DNlgJYORy
– Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles (@Rakuten__Eagles) January 28, 2021
The 32-year-old Tanaka came out of a season in which he missed some time after being hit in the head by a shot from his teammate Giancarlo Stanton during live-action training. seven-year period, $ 155 million.
The second All-Star selection, Tanaka spent his seven MLB seasons as a starter for the Yankees from 2014 to 2020 and was one of the most consistent starting players in the majors of that period, reaching 78-46 in 173 starts. .
It went 3-3 with an ERA of 3.56, from 4.45 in 2019, in 10 starts in the 2020 season shortened by the pandemic.
Tanaka turned out to have a partially torn ligament in his elbow during the 2014 season, and since then the Yankees have tried to give him extra rest in between moments. He earned a base salary of $ 22 million in the 2018 and 2019 seasons and $ 23 million in 2020.
He performed well in the playoffs during his time in the Bronx, going 5-4 with 4.18 ERA, 44 hits and 15 walks in 10 starts and 54 innings. He had his best postseason in 2017, when he was 2-1 with an ERA of 0.90, 18 offense shots and three walks in 20 innings during the division series against Cleveland and the American League Championship Series against Houston.
Prior to joining the Yankees, Tanaka was 99-35 with 2.30 ERA in seven seasons with the Golden Eagles Rakuten, breaking out 1,238 opponents in 1,315 innings.