Tanaka’s New Number Is…

Since the nearly record breaking deal was announced Wednesday, many Yankees fans have been wondering…what will Masahiro Tanaka‘s new number be? Late Friday afternoon, we got that answer. The Yankees official Twitter page, @Yankees, tweeted out a picture of a Yankees jersey hanging in a locker, with the caption: “The #Yankees pinstripes are ready for Tanaka.” And what was the number on the back of the jersey you may ask? The number was…drum roll please…19!

The Yankees unveiled Masahiro Tanaka’s pinstriped jersey #19. Mandatory Credit: New York Yankees Official Twitter Page

Masahiro Tanaka will be wearing #19 on the back of his pinstripes starting this season, and for what the Yankees hope will be a long while. This came as a surprise to some fans, who speculated Tanaka might wear #17, the same number he wore in the 2009 World Baseball Classic. Some other guys to wear #19 for the Yankees include: Bob Turley, Dave Righetti, Jack McDowell, Robin Ventura, Aaron Boone, Al Leiter, Whitey Ford (rookie year in 1950). Not a bad group at all to be associated with. Now we’ll just have to wait and hear an explanation from Tanaka on his choice of #19, which the Yankees and their fans hope will one day be up in Monument Park along with the rest of the legends…

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