Masahiro Tanaka could return to New York Yankees soon

Sidelined since July 9, Masahiro Tanaka could return to the New York Yankees after as soon as a rehab outing, manager Joe Girardi said on Tuesday.

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Tanaka has been sidelined with a torn ulnar collateral ligament, which was originally expected to require Tommy John surgery and force Tanaka miss the rest of the season. The Baltimore Orioles are all but assured of winning the American League East, but the Yankees still have a shot at one of the two Wild Card spots, at just five-and-a-half games behind.

Still, even if the Yankees are eliminated from playoff contention, the Yankees brass seems to want to be able to see Tanaka pitch again this season, if only to confirm he won’t need to undergo Tommy John surgery. Tanaka told reporters on Tuesday his arm felt better than when he threw a simulated game in Detroit on August 28. Tanaka was shut down from pitching for a week to rest after the Detroit simulated game.

Giradi agreed with the assessment that Tanaka looked sharper, adding he thought the right-hander had “more velocity, better command.” Tanaka has a 2.51 ERA and 135 strikouts on the year, and was in the running for the AL Rookie of the Year award before suffering his injury. The 25-year old Tanaka was in the first year of a seven-year, $155-million dollar contract signed in the offseason, so it’s in the Yankees best interests to keep the starter healthy.