Masahiro Tanaka named Yankees Opening Day starter
New York Yankees pitcher Masahiro Tanaka will be the team’s Opening Day starter, the team announced Friday.
New York will open the season April 6 against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Michael Pineda will get the start on April 8, with CC Sabathia gets the ball in the series finale on April 9 and Nathan Eovaldi is scheduled to start the opening game of the weekend series against the Boston Red Sox.
It is the first time that Sabathia has not been the team’s Opening Day starter since signing a seven-year, $161 million deal with the Yankees in December 2008.
• Sports Illustrated's 2015 MLB season preview rankings
Sabathia missed last season’s final three months after injuring his right knee.
Tanaka, 26, went 13-5 with a 2.77 ERA and 141 strikeouts in 20 starts last season. He missed two months with a partially torn ligament in his right elbow.
Tanaka went 3-0 with a 1.96 ERA in three starts against the Blue Jays last season.
- Scooby Axson
