Masahiro Tanaka is marveling everyone except himself
CLEARWATER, Fla. — According to Masahiro Tanaka, his sparkling spring training numbers aren’t as good as they look.
“I will take the results of how I did this spring thus far,” Tanaka said after throwing 5¹/₃ shutout innings in a 7-3 win over the Phillies on Wednesday at Spectrum Field. In 18²/₃ frames this spring, Tanaka has not allowed a run. “Look at today’s game and I felt like I was all over the place. My command definitely could have been sharper. A bunch of adjustments need to be made.”
Tanaka, who will face the Rays on Opening Day, April 2, in St. Petersburg, Fla., allowed three hits and fanned three in his next-to-last spring tune-up.
Joe Girardi said Tanaka’s final start of spring training likely will be Tuesday.
The Yankees have the option of pitching Tanaka in a minor league game Monday. That would give the ace five days of rest before facing the Rays instead of the four he would get after working against the Tigers on Tuesday night. Five days against four became an issue last year, when Tanaka was significantly better with longer rest.
“He was really good again,” Girardi said of Tanaka, who stretched out to 83 pitches. “His spring has been outstanding. He has one more start to get ready and is in a really good spot.”
Your browser does not support iframes.
Tanaka isn’t the first hurler to dominate spring training, but the list of players who have been as impressive under the palm trees isn’t long.
“You see it sometime but not very often,” Girardi said. “He came in further along than he has in the past. I think it really has helped out.”
Right-handed reliever Ernesto Frieri worked a scoreless inning of relief in his second appearance after signing a minor league deal March 16 with the Yankees.
“He showed up late but is not behind,” Girardi said of Frieri, who pitched for Colombia in the World Baseball Classic.
A group of Yankees veterans continue to take care of the younger players when it comes to tipping the visiting clubhouse attendants. Chase Headley, Brett Gardner and Starlin Castro tipped the workers for themselves and the younger players Wednesday at Spectrum Field.
“Marcus Giles,’’ Headley said when asked what veteran did that for him with the Padres.
Chris Carter whiffed in all three at-bats and has 20 strikeouts in 37 at-bats this spring. It makes you wonder how long until the Yankees ditch the plan to play the right-handed hitter against lefty pitchers when the regular season starts — especially with the way Greg Bird is hitting.
Carrot Top was at Spectrum Field to throw out the first pitch and immediately drew comparisons to Clint Frazier due to his mop of red hair. Frazier made the trip to Clearwater but didn’t play. He is hitting .316 in 19 games.