NEW YORK -- Yankees ace Masahiro Tanaka said on Monday that he has decided not to participate in the upcoming World Baseball Classic.
Tanaka spoke with reporters, including The Associated Press, following a workout in Tokyo, where the right-hander is preparing for the upcoming season.
"Based on various factors, I thought it would be difficult to take part, so I decided not to take part," Tanaka said.
Tanaka represented Japan in the WBC in 2009 and '13 while he was with the Tohoku Rakuten Eagles, helping Japan win a second consecutive championship in 2009.