The New York Yankees appear to be taking a wait-and-see approach with regard to ace righty Masahiro Tanaka’s future with the club.
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said Tuesday night that he has yet to discuss a contract extension with Tanaka’s representatives.
“We have a significant contract with Masahiro Tanaka,” Cashman said, per Mike Mazzeo of the New York Daily News. “Hopefully he has a great year, and then he’ll have a decision to make. If he doesn’t, then he won’t. I think he pitched like a Cy Young award candidate last year, and I certainly hope he does so again this year. But at this point we’ve had no discussions internally to pursue any kind of extension.”
The 28-year-old Tanaka signed a seven-year, $155 million deal with the Bronx Bombers in 2014. He is entering Year 4 of that agreement and will make $22 million in 2017 but can opt out of his contract at the end of the season.
Tanaka enjoyed a strong 2016 campaign, going 14-4 with a 3.07 ERA and 165 strikeouts in 31 starts. He also finished seventh in AL Cy Young Award voting.
But Tanaka’s injury history is somewhat worrisome. He suffered a partially torn UCL in his pitching elbow back in 2014 and dealt with a flexor mass strain for part of last year.
Should he decide not to exercise his opt-out clause, Tanaka’s deal would run through his age-31 season. Though he has already proven himself to be a true ace at the MLB-level, Tanaka has a lot more to prove in terms of health and sustained production in order for the Yankees to commit to him beyond that.
