New York Yankees Intend to Start Masahiro Tanaka for AL Wild-Card

The Red Sox haven’t directly impacted the playoff race of late, playing 13 of their last 16 games against the out-of-contention Rays and Orioles, but they at least have a chance to delay the Yankees’ postseason celebration.

Tanaka (hamstring) will start Wednesday against the Red Sox, Mark Feinsand of the NY Daily News reports. While he completed his start that day, Tanaka hasn’t been seen since – and the Grade One strain had both the organization and the fans a bit anxious.

“For us, we want to get him back out there and know he’s capable of doing everything he needs to do, ” Girardi said.

“I knew that I was going to be out there before the season ended, so no big surprise there”, Tanaka said through his interpreter. He threw a 31-pitch bullpen last Friday and threw on flat ground Sunday.

Now in his second season with the Yankees, Tanaka is facing lingering questions about a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow after not having Tommy John surgery past year. Tanaka said that if he had any physical restrictions, “I’d probably not be pitching [Wednesday]”.

Girardi, who since the Yankees haven’t officially been eliminated from the AL East race, hasn’t been too forthcoming about the teams plans concerning the Wild Card.

The 26-year-old previously missed six weeks earlier this season with forearm and wrist injuries.

Tanaka is 12-7 with a 3.38 ERA in 23 starts and has pitched 149 innings.

Tanaka was initially expected to be ready by Monday, but he’ll still be able to return in the first half of the week.