According to the Associated Press, Masahiro Tanaka threw off a mound on Tuesday for the first time since having a bone spur removed from his elbow back in October. Following the throwing session, pitching coach Larry Rothschild said that all the reports on Tanaka’s rehab program are good.
The Yankees said that the bone spur dates back to Tanaka’s days in Japan. He went 12-7 with a 3.51 ERA in 24 starts last season before losing to Houston in the AL Wild Card game. He was on the disabled list from April 23 to June 3 with wrist tendinitis and a forearm strain. Tanaka’s still pitching through a partially torn elbow ligament, which he suffered during his first year in pinstripes back in 2014 when he went 13-5 in 20 starts.
Tanaka slots in as the number one starter for the Yankees going into the 2016 season. Pitchers and catchers officially report for Spring Training in just nine days.
