SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 07: Masahiro Tanaka #19 of the New York Yankees pitches against the Tampa Bay Rays during the fourth inning in Game Three of the American League Division Series at PETCO Park on October 07, 2020 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Over the last few days we learned (or thought we learned) troubling information regarding Masahiro Tanaka’s departure from the New York Yankees this offseason.
According to a piece from what’s now being described as a Japanese tabloid, Tanaka was fearful of anti-Asian discrimination in the United States amid the COVID-19 pandemic and opted to protect his family by relocating to Japan instead of staying in New York.