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New York Yankees Editorial: Sunday Should Be Tanaka Time

By Harrison Marder

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Masahiro Tanaka wants the ball in his hand Sunday when the Yankees wrap up their pivotal four game weekend set with the Toronto Blue Jays.

According to Ryan Hatch of NJ.com, Tanaka said he is “ready to go,” meaning the 26-year-old right- hander is willing to pitch on short rest.

"“We’re facing the team that’s in our division,” Tanaka said. “For me I’d like to be out there and hopefully able to contribute in bringing a victory for our team.”"

While Tanaka is already thinking long term, Yankees skipper Joe Girardi says he is not worried about Sunday’s tilt with the division leading Blue Jays just yet.

"“Obviously we will wait and see how [Tanaka] is doing and what he is doing,” Girardi said according to NJ.com. “But I’m going to worry about tomorrow first.”"

If Tanaka takes the mound for the Yankees on Sunday it would be just the fourth time this season he’s done so on four-days rest. In contrast, Tanaka has pitched on five-or-more days rest 17 times this year.

Tanaka’s willingness to pitch on short rest in a series of such monumental importance tells me all I need to know about the character of the top man in the Yankees rotation. His desire to help his team win a series that could end up deciding the AL East lets me know that Tanaka is ready to prove why he is worth the seven-year, $155 million contract he signed in 2014. If it were up to me, Tanaka would be getting the ball on Sunday.

Typically stoic and mild-mannered during his outings, Tanaka has been noticeably more emotional recently. In his previous start against the Orioles on Tuesday night, Tanaka could be seen getting fired up after strong defensive plays from Yankees shortstop Didi Gregorius and third baseman Brendan Ryan. That same passion came through when Tanaka weaved together a complete game one-run gem against the aforementioned Blue Jays back on August 15.

Even though Tanaka is new at this whole “showing his emotions” thing, I think it should become a more prominent part of his game day routine. When athletes get visibly riled up like Tanaka has been lately, it lets his teammates know that they care, and it shows me that they are passionate, while recognizing the effect their individual performances have on their team’s overall success. Tanaka is in the hunt for October for the first time in his young career, and he is beginning to sense just how important each one of his starts truly is.

The Yankes signed Tanaka to be the ace of their staff. Aces are supposed to pitch in big games. I think every Yankee fan out there can agree that Sunday’s series finale qualifies as a big game. Tanaka should take the ball Sunday afternoon because games like that are exactly why the Yankees brought him in. It’s going to be up to Tanaka to prove that he is ready to pitch in such a crucial series, especially coming off short rest.

Let’s not forget that all of this is incumbent upon Girardi giving Tanaka the nod Sunday, a move I would implore him to make.

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