NEW YORK — Yankees fans can breathe easy when it comes to Masahiro Tanaka, at least based on the postgame comments from the worst start of his career in Sunday’s 12-4 loss to the Detroit Tigers.
The first four questions in manager Joe Girardi’s postgame press conference were about Tanaka and this time he was not talking about a fourth good outing following the right-hander’s DL stint. Instead he was discussing the location issues and insisting how it was nothing physical.
Tanaka pitched five innings and allowed seven runs (five earned) and 10 hits, with both figures equaling his career high. He also allowed a career-high three home runs on a day when he threw 90 pitches.
The home runs came on three different pitches. He gave up J.D. Martinez’s first two home runs on a curveball and fastball while the one to Victor Martinez came on a split-fingered fastball that barely moved.
“He just didn’t have the control he’s had in the last couple of starts and it hurt him,” Girardi said. “For whatever reason he didn’t have it today. There was nothing that told us he wouldn’t have it. Just one of those days.”
Then Girardi went on to point out how he would know if it was physical.
“You would see something if there was something wrong physically and we never saw that today.”
Neither did catcher Brian McCann.
“I don’t think he was in his own head,” McCann said. “If he said it was a mechanical thing then I’m sure he’ll get that ironed out before his next start.”