At a press conference in which he announced his return to Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles, right veteran Masahiro Tanaka, ex New York Yankees, suggested that he could return to the major groups just before the end of his two-year contract with Japanese eagles (ie no later than 2022):
I feel like I have unfinished business in the United States and I haven’t given up on that, so they agreed on terms that would keep those options open. ”
This might seem to suggest a waiver clause after the 2021 season, notes renowned New York Post journalist Ken Davidoff and possibly a return to the Yankees in 2022.
With the Yankees intending to reset their luxury penalty cap this winter, the team chose to spend its resources elsewhere, rather than re-sign Tanaka at the desired sale price.
However, in the upcoming off-season, the Yankees may be willing to exceed the tax threshold (and pay only a penalty for the first time) to acquire Tanaka and other list 40 improvements.