Today at 1:00 p.m. ET on ESPN the New York Yankees and ace right-hander Masahiro Tanaka will begin their season against American League East foes the Toronto Blue Jays and Drew Hutchison. Watch the Opening Day action for free by clicking this link. Yankees fans can listen to the game on 101.9 WFAN, while Blue Jays fans may do likewise on SN590.
Tanaka has the honor of beginning the Yankees' season as their ace in 2015, and while he brings excitement to every start, there's also the lingering fear about his torn UCL. Tanaka's not worried about is arm, and is instead focused on beginning the year at home.
"I think the biggest difference is that I'll be pitching at home this season. I'm really happy about that. Last year obviously was over in Toronto and being away from home. Definitely being able to pitch at home this season, I'm really happy about that," Tanaka said.
Last season before injury robbed him of a chunk of the year, Tanaka went 12-4 with a 2.51 ERA and held opponents to a .231 batting average. The Yankees' offense is reliant on creaky veterans, including the returning Alex Rodriguez, who hasn't played MLB regular season ball since September 2013. The pitching staff must be New York's calling card, and Tanaka is the key.
In Toronto, the exact opposite holds true. Toronto's major offseason acquisition was All-Star third baseman Josh Donaldson, and they're expected to have one of baseball's most powerful offenses. The pitching staff is their weak point though, and they lost their projected ace, Marcus Stroman, for the season in spring training.
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