Major League Baseball

Yankees' Masahiro Tanaka could pitch third or fourth game of season

Published Feb. 28, 2014 12:53 p.m. ET

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TAMPA, Fla. -- Masahiro Tanaka could make his first regular-season start in the New York Yankees' third or fourth game.

The Yankees complete a three-series at Houston on April 3, then have a day off before a three-game set at Toronto. Yankees manager Joe Girardi said Friday ''I think that's pretty safe to say'' the Japanese right-hander will start game three or four.

Tanaka is to make his first spring training appearance Saturday against Philadelphia at Steinbrenner Tanaka and fellow Japanese right-hander and Hiroki Kuroda are to follow starter CC Sabathia. Each is expected to throw two innings or about 35 pitches.

''I understand there's going to be a lot of attention on the results, the numbers of how I do out there,'' Tanaka said through an interpreter. ''But for me, I'm not looking at it at all. I just wanted to go out there and pitch my style. I just want to see how the batters react.''

Tanaka signed a $155 million, seven-year contract in January. He was 24-0 with a 1.27 ERA last year while leading the Rakuten Golden Eagles to their first Japan Series title.

NOTES: Closer David Robertson threw 22 pitches in his second batting practice session. ... Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson arrived at camp, where he is a spring training instructor.

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