Well this is bad news. Masahiro Tanaka will miss Wednesday’s start against the Blue Jays with a Grade I right hamstring strain, the Yankees announced this afternoon. Tanaka hurt himself running the bases Friday. Stupid NL rules. Ivan Nova will start in Tanaka’s place Wednesday.
Joe Girardi said the hope is Tanaka will miss just one start due to the hamstring issue. Of course, that one start might be the most important game of the season. Tanaka is pretty much the only Yankees starter who has been able to hold down the Blue Jays offense, and depending on how the next few days play out, first base could be on the line Wednesday.
Apparently the injury happened when Tanaka ran down to first base in the second inning Friday. He laid down a sacrifice bunt and the force out was made at second. Tanaka had to run from first to second on Brett Gardner’s single later in the inning, then had to run to first on a ground out in his second at-bat. He threw five innings after the injury supposedly happened.
There was no indication Tanaka was hurt — he was lifted for a pinch-hitter despite throwing 82 pitches because the Yankees were down in the seventh and needed offense — so this injury really came out of nowhere. A Grade I strain is least severe by definition, which is the good news, I guess. Tanaka told reporters he wants to pitch Wednesday, but the Yankees are playing it safe.
Still, losing Tanaka is very bad news, even if it is only one start. Nova has not pitched well this season — the Blue Jays hammered him last time out, as I’m sure you remember — but the Yankees have no other alternatives. Nathan Eovaldi (elbow) is also hurt and Adam Warren’s back in the rotation. It’s either Nova or Chris Capuano at this point. Sigh.
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