Former New York Yankees ace Masahiro Tanaka is closing in on a big milestone while playing for the Yomiuri Giants in Japan. According to JapanBall, Tanaka earned the win in his Giants debut, giving him 198 total wins between the NPB and MLB.
Next week, the Major League Baseball season kicks off with the Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers doing battle in the two-game "Tokyo Series." The games will certainly be special, as the two teams have five Japanese players between them: Shohei Ohtani, Roki Sasaki, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Seiya Suzuki and Shota Imanaga.
A former fan-favorite of the New York Yankees has found a new home. Japanese right-hander Masahiro Tanaka, who pitched for the Bronx Bombers from 2014 to 2020, has signed with the Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).
Former New York Yankees pitcher Masahiro Tanaka, a free agent in the NPB, has signed with the Yomiuri Giants for the 2025 season. Per the Yakyu Cosmopolitan on social media: The Yomiuri Giants will sign RHP Masahiro Tanaka, who was non-tendered by the Rakuten Eagles last month.
Pittsburgh Pirates hurler Paul Skenes is continuing to impress with his play. The rookie starter became the sixth person since 1901 to record 100 career strikeouts in 13 or less games, per Major League Baseball.
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Masahiro Tanaka, who will turn 35 in November and will be a free agent this winter, may be struggling through the end of his career, but none of that should diminish how accomplished he's been.
Tanaka joined the Yankees in 2014, signing a seven-year, $155 million deal with the team. Over the seven seasons, he was one of the league's most consistent starting pitchers.