Masahiro Tanaka could pitch at least one more game for the New York Yankees this season as he continues his recovery from an elbow injury. A Yankees news and rumors update on ESPN indicated that Tanaka threw 34 pitches in a bullpen session on Saturday, and the Japanese pitcher reportedly felt good after the session.
Tanaka, who has not played since July 8 after being diagnosed with a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament, said that his elbow is feeling stronger at this point compared to several weeks ago.
The Yankees have yet to determine the next step for Tanaka's recovery, but the 25-year-old said in a Yankees news and rumors update that he needs to pitch in an actual game to determine how his elbow will hold up.
"I think I need to pitch again this year, to get a better feel of how I can, when I'm 100 percent, in a game," Tanaka said in an interview via ESPN.
Yankees manager Joe Girardi also reiterated that Tanaka will eventually throw in a game at some point because they want to see how the right hander's elbow will respond in an actual match.
"He will pitch somewhere. He has to throw," Girardi said via Yahoo Sports. "You can't wait until next spring."
Tanaka, who went 12-4 with a 2.51 ERA and 135 strikeouts in his first 18 starts in the major league, was a strong candidate for the Cy Young award before going down with the elbow ligament injury.
Meanwhile, in other Yankees news and rumors update, general manager Brian Cashman will likely stay put in New York as ESPN reported that the 47-year-old executive is not in danger of losing his post.
"I don't see Cashman as being in any trouble at all," an ESPN source was quoted as saying. "But as far as I know, [Cashman's situation] has not been discussed yet. Those things normally are not addressed until after the season."
Cashman has been at helm for the past 17 seasons, but his contract is set to expire after the season. Recent rumors indicated that that team owner Hal Steinbrenner will look for a new GM if the Yankees fail to reach the playoffs for the second straight season.
