Yankees' Tanaka on track for pre-season debut
Los Angeles (AFP) - Japanese hurler Masahiro Tanaka is moving closer to his first game of spring training for the New York Yankees.
The Yankees have been keeping a close eye on Tanaka, looking for trouble related to the partially torn right elbow ligament that sidelined him for part of last season.
He threw a 30-pitch bullpen session on Wednesday at the Yankees' spring training facility in Tampa, Florida.
"Gradually, I've been able to build up pretty well thus far," Tanaka said in comments posted on the team's website. "Whenever they want me to go, I think I'm ready to go."
Tanaka will probably pitch a simulated game before being scheduled for his first start in an exhibition game.
"We're getting closer," said Yankees manager Joe Girardi, predicting Tanaka's first exhibition game would be late next week.
