Masahiro Tanaka says he’s feeling lucky after concussion scare and hopes to get back on the mound for the New York Yankees soon.
Masahiro Tanaka is a superhero and now his secret identity has been revealed. According to Tanaka, he’s feeling great and wants to get back in the bullpen for the New York Yankees soon.
Masahiro Tanaka said that "everything happened so fast" when he was hit by the Giancarlo Stanton line drive. He said that he has felt no concussion symptoms since leaving the hospital, and hopes to toss in the bullpen soon.
— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) July 14, 2020
I'm doing very well? https://t.co/0RDmsJLt2o
— 田中将大/MASAHIRO TANAKA (@t_masahiro18) July 13, 2020
This is one of the most impressive things I’ve ever seen. Tanaka essentially just walked off a 110 mph fastball directly to the head. I can’t even imagine how that’s possible if not for Tanaka’s superpowers.
Jokes aside, it’s fantastic to see Tanaka recovering so well. This was a scary situation that could have left him on the injured list for the majority of the 2020 season. We’ve seen how poorly concussion stories can play out. Remember, Clint Frazier’s bout with concussion symptoms.
But not Masahiro Tanaka. He recovered almost instantly and has already reassured fans that he doesn’t think the incident will affect his pitching going forward.
Masahiro Tanaka said he doesn’t believe he’ll face any concern or apprehension the next time he gets on the mound to face a hitter, but that he won’t know until he tries it.
— Brendan Kuty (@BrendanKutyNJ) July 14, 2020
With the loss of Luis Severino in spring training part one, Tanaka’s presence in the rotation became essential. He, James Paxton, and Gerrit Cole need to stay healthy if the Yankees want to find themselves in a deep playoff run. This horrifying incident put that strong pitching corps at risk.
Even if Tanaka can’t make his first scheduled start of the season, his speedy recovery ensures that the New York Yankees won’t be without him for a long period of time. Of course, even if Tanaka does miss more than one start, the Yankees have solid depth to back him up in Clarke Schmidt and Michael King.
But it’s safe to say fans prefer to see Tanaka on the field, stepping up for the biggest games of the season.