New York Yankees: The future of 2017 lies in Tanaka’s hands

The New York Yankees are in a fight for the top of the AL East. Masahiro Tanaka is finding his form, and it has to continue to keep the Yankees in the divisional race.

New York Yankees starter Masahiro Tanaka is back, and better than he’s ever been in 2017.

Tanaka started the season in a very up-and-down fashion, and after a long rough patch, he’s found his footing.

The Yanks find themselves in the thick of a divisional sprint with the Red Sox. Now more than ever is when a team needs an ace, and Tanaka needs to keep consistent.

The Red Sox are playing great baseball, and that’s what we expected at the start of the season. Like it or not, they got a talented unit up there in Boston. They can do it all, but as we’ve seen, so can the New York Yankees.

In baseball, a team has to rely on its pitching in these high-pressure moments. There is a whole lot of season left, but now it seems like a two team race.

It’s going to be interesting to watch Tanaka progress the rest of the way. After a big win against the Blue Jays, he proved he’s ready to pitch in tight games again this season.

He’s a great pitcher, but he quite frankly hasn’t pitched like it. Now, after hitting this hot streak, he has to keep it up.

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Boston is going to be a tough foe in this playoff hunt, and they have three pitchers than can be aces of many staffs in the MLB.

Tanaka is going to have to be a grade-A ace the rest of the way if the New York Yankees want a legitimate shot at the AL East.

It’s nice to have an ace back in New York, but now it has to stay that way.