Star pitcher spent seven seasons with the New York Yankees.
On Thursday morning, Masahiro Tanaka announced his plan to return to Japan for the 2021 season on Twitter. He plans to join the Rakuten Golden Eagles in the Nippon Professional Baseball League.
Tanaka, 32, completed a seven-year, $155 million deal at the conclusion of the 2020 season. He made 173 regular season starts for the Yankees, compiling a 78-46 record. He represented the Pinstripes in two All-Star Games. In 10 postseason starts, Tanaka went 5-4 with 44 strikeouts and 15 walks in 54 innings.