Masahiro Tanaka: 2019 Season in Review

A comprehensive analysis on how New York’s Opening Day starter performed this year.

Another year, another Opening Day start for Masahiro Tanaka.

The right-hander has toed the rubber for New York to kick off four of the last five seasons and enters 2020 -- courtesy of CC Sabathia’s retirement -- as the longest tenured member of the Yankees’ starting rotation.

Since signing with New York in 2014, departing from the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles of his native Japan, Tanaka has consistently produced on the mound. His durability, beyond a few elbow related health scares, has proved the Yanks made a good choice spending $155 million to keep Tanaka in pinstripes for seven years.

In his sixth year with the Bombers, Tanaka finished 2019 with a record of 11-9 in 31 starts, posting an ERA of 4.45. He was voted to the second All-Star Game of his career as a replacement.

Highlights

When Tanaka left Japan, he had already pitched 1,315 career innings, since his debut as an 18-year-old. There were certainly risks in giving him a lengthy contract, but in 2019 Tanaka showcased his durability.

The right-hander appeared in 32 games, a career high, and led the Yankees’ starting rotation in innings pitched (182). He faced 759 batters in 2019, the most since 2016, when he finished seventh in the Cy Young Award race -- he went 14-4 in 199.2 innings that year.

Further, Tanaka reached the 1,000 innings mark of his Yankee career, a testament to his ability to stay healthy and pitch every fifth day.

Beyond racking up innings in the regular season, Tanaka continued to find success for New York in October. The right-hander was victorious in Game 2 of the ALDS, tossing five innings of one-run ball against the Twins, but his performance in Game 1 of the ALCS was one of his best starts of the entire season (that is, behind his 10 strikeout, complete game shutout against the Rays in June).

Masahiro Tanaka is the first @Yankees pitcher to toss a shutout with 2 H or fewer and 10+ Ks since Mike Mussina in 2002. pic.twitter.com/7hxTgVXQ3H
— MLB Stats (@MLBStats) June 18, 2019

Tanaka dominated for six scoreless innings, facing the minimum after two double play balls erased the only two base runners allowed. Not to mention the fact that he outdueled former Cy Young Award winner Zack Greinke on the road at Minute Maid Park.

A few days later, Tanaka came away with a loss in Game 4 at Yankee Stadium, but surrendered all three runs he allowed on just one pitch -- a three-run home run off the bat of George Springer. Other than the third inning though, which featured the long ball and three scattered singles, Tanaka was one walk away from perfection.

It’s unlikely that Tanaka starts Game 1 of any postseason series moving forward, let alone Opening Day, but his experience and success in the postseason proves he’ll still be a weapon next October and beyond. In eight career postseason starts, Tanaka has five wins and an exceptional 1.76 ERA. Other than Game 4 of the ALCS against Houston, the right-hander has never given up more than two runs in a single playoff start.

Room For Improvement

Even with all this talk of durability, there were glaring signs of Tanaka’s decline in 2019.

Tanaka’s 4.74 ERA, 95 runs and 28 home runs allowed were nearly career worsts, and his WHIP (1.24) was the highest it has ever been. His ERA was 12th highest among all qualifying starters.

Further, and despite making more starts than ever before, the 31-year-old recorded 149 strikeouts, his lowest total since 2015.

On July 25, at Fenway Park, Red Sox hitters dropped a 12-spot on Tanaka in just 3.1 innings. All 12 runs were earned. Even the best hurlers don’t have it sometimes, but it’s worth noting -- when Tanaka is off his game, it can get pretty ugly.

Grade: B+

Tanaka's 11 wins in 2019 were fourth best in the Yankees’ rotation, but his longevity and postseason success earns this right-hander a solid evaluation. His numbers don't exactly jump out at you, but this season he reminded Yankee fans that can be relied on when New York needs a big start.

Moving forward, be wary of Tanaka’s wear and tear. Last month, and for the second time of his career, Tanaka had arthroscopic surgery to remove a bone spur in his pitching elbow. He should be good to go for Spring Training.

Aaron Hicks will have Tommy John surgery, out 8-10 months.

Tanaka (bone spurs) and Voit (core muscle/sports hernia)have had surgery and are expected to be ready for spring training.
— Sweeny Murti (@SweenyMurti) October 24, 2019

Adding another starting pitcher in the winter would ease Tanaka’s regular season workload, ensuring he’s ready to pitch deep into October.

To keep up with all of Yankee Maven's coverage, click the "follow" button at the top righthand corner of this page. For more from Max Goodman, follow him on Twitter @MaxTGoodman