Inconsistency Is the Story for Masahiro Tanaka in 2017

Despite starting his major league career as the New York Yankees ace, Masahiro Tanaka has been as inconsistent as it gets in 2017.

Ever since Masahiro Tanaka signed with the New York Yankees in 2014, he has been the model of consistency and quality starting pitching. He was able to hold teams to low run totals with a combination of a high strikeout and low walk rate.

However, the former ace (it’s safe to say that title belongs to Luis Severino now) has become an utter shell of himself and is not someone any Yankees fan would want to have pitch in a must-win scenario.

Tanaka has been all over the place in 2017, giving up four home runs in one outing against the Houston Astros on Mother’s Day and then, less than two weeks later, striking out a then career-high 13 batters and allowing one earned run in a 5-4 loss to the Oakland Athletics on May 26.

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Every pitcher goes through ups and downs in their careers, but Tanaka’s struggles are unprecedented for him and are more alarming when compared to his performances in 2014, 2015 and 2016.

In 2014, Tanaka gave up more than four earned runs just twice, eight or more hits four times, two home runs in a game four times, and over three walks in a game just once.

2015 was more of the same for Tanaka, who gave up more than four earned runs in a start twice, eight or more hits three times, over two home runs in a game three times, and recorded no more than three walks in any start.

In 2016, Tanaka gave up over four earned runs four times, eight or more hits four times, at least two home runs in a game five times, and walked over three batters in a game once.

Tanaka has always given up his share of home runs, thanks in part to pitching in the hitter-friendly confines of Yankees Stadium. However, the number of home runs he’s given up this season isn’t the only gaudy statistic when compared to what he’s done in the past.

BALTIMORE, MD – MAY 31: Starting pitcher Masahiro Tanaka (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /

In 23 starts this season, Tanaka has already given up at least two home runs in a game eight times. He’s tallied more than four earned runs eight times, given up eight or more hits seven times, and has walked over three batters in a game twice, including a career-high five in his Aug. 9 11-5 win against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Adding to this is Tanaka’s lack of ability to go deep into games, which has taken a massive hit in 2017. The 28-year-old lasted less than five innings in just three starts in his first three years in the majors but has already done so in six starts this year.

Tanaka’s 4.69 ERA in his first 25 outings of 2017 is also well over his total from the first 25 games of 2016 (3.24), his 24 starts in 2015 (3.51), and his 20-game total of 2.77 in 2014.

As the saying goes, the numbers never lie, and that certainly rings true in Masahiro Tanaka’s case. He’s been the poster boy for inconsistency all year long, and it really shows in the noticeable increase in home runs, hits, earned runs, and walks per game.

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If the New York Yankees are going to make a run at a World Championship this season, they’ll need Masahiro Tanaka to get them big outs on stages bigger than he’s ever pitched before.

With an already large sample size to go off of, it doesn’t seem likely that Tanaka can be relied upon this year.

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