NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — There’s no doubt Masahiro Tanaka hasn’t been the same this season, but the Yankees ace’s struggles are not unprecedented.
In an interview with WFAN’s Mike Francesa on Thursday, Yankees manager Joe Girardi compared Tanaka’s situation this year to what Houston’s Dallas Keuchel endured last year.
“This guy was Cy Young the year before,” Girardi said. “And Dallas Keuchel is as good as any pitcher right now in the game.”
A year after going 14-4 with a 3.07 ERA, Tanaka is 5-5 with a 6.34 ERA. Keuchel followed up his 2015 season, in which he went 20-8 with a 2.