Yankees: Masahiro Tanaka Having a Horrendous 2017 Season so Far
Since joining the league in 2014, Masahiro Tanaka has been the New York Yankees' ace. But this season, he's looked far from the pitcher he's been during the past three years.
Masahiro Tanaka hasn't looked like the Japanese star that he's been for the New York Yankees throughout the past three years. In 2017, he's looked more like Jekyll and Hyde than anyone else.
He's had stellar games. He tossed a shutout against the rival Boston Red Sox last month and hurled seven innings of one-run ball in the outing before that.
But he's also had bad games. Saturday's loss against the Tampa Bay Rays was his latest example. The right-hander allowed six runs on nine hits in just three innings of work, the third time this season in which he's pitched less than four innings.
It would be difficult for the Yankees to contend for the American League pennant if this is the Tanaka that shows up every outing. And manager Joe Girardi surely doesn't want to have to demote the superstar, although he could place him on the disabled list if he is injured.
The mechanics seem fine. Tanaka's velocity is around his career average or higher for each of his main pitches. He's worked low in the zone as well, as you can see in his heat map via FanGraphs.
His issue is that batters are making good contact against pitches low down the middle, especially off his go-to sinker. Not only that, hitters have been more successful against his slider and fastball.
Success against Tanaka's slider and sinker (batting average/slugging percentage)
Slider:
2014: .174/.261
2015: .159/256
2016: .239/429
2017: .304/482
Sinker:
2014: .317/.489
2015: .280/.514
2016: .267/369
2017: .352/.778
More from Call to the Pen
Tanaka's fastball hasn't been so successful throughout his career. But opponents are hitting a whopping .325 against it with a .575 slugging percentage. Sure, people can point to his velocity since his elbow surgery in 2014.
All of this leads to one conclusion: Tanaka hasn't been himself.
His ERA is third-worst in the entire league, likely stemming from the 13 home runs he's allowed so far this year through 48 innings – he surrendered just 22 of them in 199 2/3 frames last year. Yet, despite this, the right-hander owns a winning record at the top of New York's rotation.
Girardi has plenty of options for his No. 1 pitcher. Much like how John Farrell dealt with David Price's meltdown for much of last season, expect the Yankees skipper to let Tanaka pitch through it.
New York sits atop the American League East standings as of now, so barring some confidential injury report, the ace should continue to have opportunities to pitch for the club.
Tanaka should return to his old self – maybe not the 2016 pitcher that finished seventh in the Cy Young voting, but at least back to a guy with a sub-4.00 ERA.
