RHP Masahiro Tanaka
2019 POSTSEASON: Is 2-0 with a 0.82 ERA (11.0IP, 1ER) in two postseason starts in 2019…earned the win in the Yankees’ 8-2 victory in ALDS Game 2 vs. Minnesota on 10/5 at Yankee Stadium (5.0IP, 3H, 1ER, 1BB, 7K, 1HP)…allowed his only run on an RBI single to Mitch Garver in the fourth.
CAREER POSTSEASON: In seven career postseason starts (two in 2019, one in 2018, three in 2017, one in 2015), is 5-2 with a 1.32 ERA (41.0IP, 21H, 6ER, 9BB, 36K, 3HR)… has the Majors’ second-lowest postseason ERA among starting pitchers (min. 7GS) since earned runs became an official stat in 1912, trailing only Sandy Koufax (0.95)… is fifth-lowest among all pitchers with at least 40.0IP, trailing Mariano Rivera (0.70), Koufax, Stephen Strasburg (1.10) and Christy Mathewson (1.13)…according to Elias, is the fi rst pitcher in Major League history to allow 2R-or-fewer in each of his first seven postseason starts, surpassing Sandy Koufax (first six starts from 1959-65)…has also allowed 4H-or-fewer in all seven. Is the first pitcher to make a start in four consecutive Yankees postseasons since CC Sabathia started in four straight from 2009-12. Has won each of his last four postseason starts (since 2017 ALCS Game 5), posting a 0.78 ERA (23.0IP, 2ER) in those games…is the fi rst Yankees pitcher to win four consecutive postseason starts since Andy Pettitte won four straight from 2009 ALCS Game 6 to 2010 ALDS Game 2…the last Yankees pitcher to win at least five consecutive postseason starts was Orlando Hernandez (1999 ALCS Game 5 to 2000 ALCS Game 6). In three career ALCS starts (both against Houston), is 2-1 with a 0.95 ERA (19.0IP, 2ER) and 15K. Earned the Yankees’ only win in the 2018 ALDS vs. Boston, allowing 1ER in 5.0IP (3H, 1BB, 4K, 1HR) in Game 2 at Fenway Park. Was 2-1 with a 0.90 ERA (20.0IP, 10H, 2ER, 3BB, 18K, 0HR, 2WP) in three postseason starts in 2017…was the second-lowest ERA by a Yankees starter in a single postseason (min. 3GS), trailing only Waite Hoyt’s 0.00 ERA (27.0IP, 2R/0ER) in 1921…tossed 7.0 scoreless innings in both ALDS Game 3 vs. Cleveland and ALCS Game 5 vs. Houston…became the second Yankee to record two scoreless starts of at least 7.0IP within his fi rst four career postseason appearances (also Orlando Hernandez in 1998-99). Took the loss in the 2015 AL Wild Card Game vs. Houston (5.0IP, 2ER).
Tanaka will make his eighth career postseason start in tonight’s ALCS Game 4 vs. Houston…the 30-year-old will pitch on regular four days’ rest…last started in ALCS Game 1 at Houston and earned the win, allowing only 1H over 6.0 shutout innings (1BB, 4K) )…went 11-9 in 32 games (31 starts) during the 2019 regular season, becoming the second pitcher in Yankees history to reach double-digit wins in each of his first six Major League seasons (also Andy Pettitte, who did it in each of his fi rst nine campaigns from 1995-2003)…is one of six pitchers with at least 10 wins in each of the last six seasons…is one of three pitchers in Yankees history to make at least 20 starts in each of his fi rst six Major League seasons, joining Fritz Peterson (first eight, 1966-73) and Andy Pettitte (first nine, 1995-2003)…the two-time AL All-Star (2014, ’19) earned the win in this year’s Midsummer Classic…is 75-43 (.636) in 164 career regular season games (163 starts), tied for the eighth-best winning percentage among active pitchers (min. 75 decisions)…his 4.74 career K/BB ratio (947K, 200BB) is the fourth-highest (min. 700.0IP) in the Modern Era (since 1900)…recorded his 900th career strikeout on 7/25 at Boston (J.D. Martinez swinging in the fourth)…has 174 career regular season wins between MLB (75) and NPB (99)…his 75 MLB wins are third-most among all Japan-born pitchers (Hideo Nomo-123, Hiroki Kuroda-79)…was acquired by the club via the posting system from the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles of Japan and signed to a seven-year contract on 1/22/14…his contract runs through the 2020 season.
The view from left field 