Masahiro Tanaka has built his career around his split-fingered fastball, and on Sunday, the Yankees got a glimpse of what he’d look like without it.
The right-hander couldn’t control the pitch he’s become famous for, and that led to a second straight rough outing — but again, the Yankees bailed out Tanaka and came away with a 7-5 win over the White Sox at Yankee Stadium.
“The split wasn’t there,” Tanaka said through an interpreter. “I couldn’t rely on that pitch as much as I wanted to.”
It also marked back-to-back appearances in which Tanaka hasn’t been sharp on regular rest, instead of getting an extra day.