Tanaka has started on Opening Day only once before, in 2012 for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles in Japan. Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi named right-hander Masahiro Tanaka as the Opening Day starter over left-hander CC Sabathia.
Girardi said Friday that Tanaka will be followed in the rotation by right-hander Michael Pineda, Sabathia and right-hander Nathan Eovaldi. Sabathia has started the last six openers for the Yankees.
The Yankees open their regular-season schedule on April 6 at Yankee Stadium against the Toronto Blue Jays.
“I’m honored, obviously,” Tanaka said through an interpreter. “I spoke to Joe today and he told me officially. Now that I know when I’m pitching for the regular season, my job is to get ready for that day.”
Girardi held off making the decision because he wanted to see how Tanaka and Sabathia responded this spring coming off injury-plagued seasons in 2014.
Sabathia had knee surgery, but Tanaka did not undergo surgery last season for a partially torn UCL, although he missed more than two months due to the elbow injury. Tanaka’s rehabilitation helped him avoid Tommy John surgery.
Tanaka has started on Opening Day only once before, in 2012 for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles in Japan. He is 1-1 with a 1.74 ERA in three spring starts, with 12 strikeouts to just one walk in 10 1/3 innings.
Girardi said he wasn’t worried about Sabathia being upset over not getting the Opening Day start.
“I know it’s a big deal, and I know it may be somewhat of a big deal to them, but when CC looks back, he’s going to worry about Octobers,” Girardi said.
