Tanaka will instead spend Spring Training at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Fla., preparing for his fourth season with the Yankees. He is coming off a campaign in which he set career highs in wins (14), innings (199 2/3), starts (31), strikeouts (165) and quality starts (19).
"I guess you could say I'm satisfied with that," said Tanaka, whose 3.07 ERA ranked third in the AL behind Toronto's Aaron Sanchez (3.00) and Detroit's Justin Verlander (3.04). "The more important thing here was that I was able to pitch a full season. That part means a lot to me.