Mashairo Tanaka Heading Back to Japan

Mashairo Tanaka will not return to the Bronx, signing with the Rakuten Golden Eagles in the Nippon Professional Baseball League in Japan, as the former Yankees ace makes his return to his native land. 

Tanaka's return to Japan ends a seven year stay with the Yankees that saw the righty post a 78-46 record with a 3.74 ERA in 174 games with the Bombers. The Yankees never won a World Series with Tanaka, who was a two-time All Star. 

After partially tearing a ligament in his pitching elbow back in 2014, the Yankees routinely tried to get him has much rest as possible. 

With Tanaka no longer a part of the Yankees rotation, New York is scrambling to find his replacement. They are hoping that Luis Severino can return to form from Tommy John's Surgery. They are hoping for the same fate from Jameson Tallion, whom the Yankees acquired over the weekend from the Pittsburgh Pirates. 

 TheYankees are also hoping Domingo German returns to form after serving a season long suspension, and that Cory Kluber can regain his All Star form from several seasons ago.