Despite taking the phenomenal success he enjoyed in Japan to the majors this year, first-year Yankees right-hander Masahiro Tanaka is unlikely to pitch for the American League in this year's MLB All-Star Game, New York manager Joe Girardi hinted on Friday.
Tanaka has a major league-best 11 wins in 15 starts and an AL-best 2.11 earned run average, but Girardi is keen to keep the 25-year-old newcomer from having to carry too much of the load. If Girardi doesn't tinker with his rotation, Tanaka is likely to start July 13 against the Baltimore Orioles, and that would make him ineligible to pitch in the All-Star Game on July 15 in Minneapolis.
When asked why he didn't start Tanaka a day earlier against the Boston Red Sox instead of Vidal Nuno, who entered the day with a 5.88 ERA, Girardi showed some frustration.