Tanaka takes the Majors by storm with monster first half

                On January 23, the New York Yankees signed pitcher Masahiro Tanaka to a blockbuster deal worth $155 million dollars over seven years. The 25-year-old was certainly deserving of all the hype surrounding his name this past offseason. Over four seasons pitching in the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) league in Japan, Tanaka garnered some unearthly statistics. He amounted a 99-35 record while maintaining a 2.30 ERA over that span. The Japanese ace had his most impressive campaign in the NPB last season.  He concluded the season with a 24-0 record and a 1.27 ERA.

                Since his Major League debut on April 4 against Toronto, in which he fired seven innings of two-run ball for a victory, Tanaka has put any thoughts of a delayed overseas transition to rest.  Through July 7, Tanaka’s stat line includes a 12-3 record, a 2.27 ERA, and 130 strikeouts over 122 1/3 innings pitched halfway through the season. Tanaka is certainly considered a threat for the pitching Triple Crown in the American League as he ranks: First in strikeouts, second in ERA, and sixth in strikeouts. With this resume, Tanaka has established himself as a prime candidate for the AL Rookie of the Year Award. The 6-foot-2 starting pitcher was also selected to his first career All-Star Game this past Sunday and seems to be the front runner to start the ‘mid-summer classic’ for the AL squad. Tanaka has also been a workhorse for Joe Girardi’s club this season. The Yanks’ starter has three complete games on the season (1^st in the AL). One of these performances included a four-hit, shutout victory over the New York Mets on May 14.

                From World Series champion closer Koji Uehara, to All-Star pitcher Yu Darvish, to 1995 Rookie of the Year Hideo Nomo, the “Land of the Rising Sun” has produced some marvelous talent on the mound which has migrated to the Major Leagues in recent decades.

                Tanaka has certainly not skipped a beat in his transition from Japanese competition to the US. He has embraced the pinstripes and now finds himself atop an elite tier of Major League hurlers through this point in the season. Look for the Japanese prodigy to make a solid run towards the Cy Young Award and possibly the pitching Triple Crown in the American League.