SI

In Masahiro Tanaka, Yankees buy a ready-made ace

***** ***** ***** ***** A baseball in a shiny silvery sheathing, like a 25-year-old ace pitcher up for bid, may be a beguiling aesthetic. But the

Tom Verducci

In Masahiro Tanaka, Yankees buy a ready-made ace
In Masahiro Tanaka, Yankees buy a ready-made ace /
After seven seasons with NPB's Rakuten Golden Eagles, Masahiro Tanaka is coming to MLB.
After seven seasons with NPB's Rakuten Golden Eagles, Masahiro Tanaka is coming to MLB :: Chuck Solomon/SI

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A star in Japan, Masahiro Tanaka pitched on the country's World Baseball Classic team in 2009 and 2013.
A star in Japan, Masahiro Tanaka pitched on the country's World Baseball Classic team in 2009 and 2013 :: Koji Watanabe/Getty Images

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Adjusting to a new pitching routine will be one of Masahiro Tanaka's many challenges in the U.S.
Adjusting to a new pitching routine will be one of Masahiro Tanaka's many challenges in the U.S :: Chuck Solomon/SI

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Masahiro Tanaka shakes hands with Joe Girardi during his introductory press conference in January.
Masahiro Tanaka shakes hands with Joe Girardi during his introductory press conference in January :: Jim McIssac/Getty Images

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Masahiro Tanaka will face increased attention as the latest Japanese star to come to Major League Baseball.
Masahiro Tanaka will face increased attention as the latest Japanese star to come to Major League Baseball :: Chuck Solomon/SI

A baseball in a shiny silvery sheathing, like a 25-year-old ace pitcher up for bid, may be a beguiling aesthetic. But the true beauty of it comes in the unwrapping.

Published
Tom Verducci
TOM VERDUCCI

Tom Verducci is a senior writer for Sports Illustrated who has covered Major League Baseball since 1981. He also serves as an analyst for FOX Sports and the MLB Network; is a New York Times best-selling author; and cohosts The Book of Joe podcast with Joe Maddon. A five-time Emmy Award winner across three categories (studio analyst, reporter, short form writing) and nominated in a fourth (game analyst), he is a three-time National Sportswriter of the Year winner, two-time National Magazine Award finalist, and a Penn State Distinguished Alumnus Award recipient. Verducci is a member of the National Sports Media Hall of Fame, Baseball Writers Association of America (including past New York chapter chairman) and a Baseball Hall of Fame voter since 1993. He also is the only writer to be a game analyst for World Series telecasts. He lives in New Jersey with his wife, with whom he has two children.

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