It gets lost in time, but Masahiro Tanaka initially was exactly what the Yankees envisioned after investing $175 million (including a $20 million posting fee to his Japanese team) to land him. He opened the 2014 season 12-4 with a 2.51 ERA, averaging better than a strikeout an inning, parking behind perhaps only Seattle’s Felix Hernandez and the White Sox’s Chris Sale at midseason in the AL Cy Young chase.
Then a small tear in his right elbow was discovered.
The fear — and it would linger beyond 2014 — was Tommy John surgery would be needed.