5 questions left unanswered by Brian Cashman, Aaron Boone and Hal Steinbrenner

4. Will Masahiro Tanaka Be Back With the Yankees?

Yankees starting pitching Masahiro Tanaka is about to become a free agent.

Masahiro Tanaka will be a free agent for the first time in his MLB career after spending the last seven years in the Bronx. He decided to opt into his contract after the 2017 season and spend an additional three years with the team instead of exploring the open market.

His final season in pinstripes didn’t entirely go well, but fans want him back. He provides stability in the middle of the rotation and is a reliable postseason arm, despite his two bad outings against the Indians (thanks to MLB botching the weather delay) and Rays.

Boone and Cashman had great things to say about the right-hander, but wouldn’t comment about his future with the team beyond 2020.

If Tanaka’s Yankees career ended in two weeks, he will have finished 78-46 with a 3.74 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 991 strikeouts in 174 games (173 starts). His postseason numbers include a 5-4 record with a 3.33 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 44 strikeouts in 10 starts.

Given that James Paxton is a free agent as well, it’s hard to believe Tanaka won’t be back with the Yankees because the one thing they need is more starting pitching behind Gerrit Cole. Though one could argue they need a lefty, we don’t think Cashman will invest millions in the oft-injured Paxton.