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Palladino: Pressure On Tanaka To Right Ship Can't Be Overstated

By Ernie Palladino
» More Ernie Palladino Columns

Thursday's rainout came at just the right time for Masahiro Tanaka.

After the stretch he's had, he needed an extra day to step back and collect himself.

Now, as he takes the mound on Friday night in the opener of a weekend set against the Oakland Athletics, it is important for the right-hander to get back to form, which means returning to ace status.

Despite fine performances by Michael Pineda and Luis Severino of late, Tanaka is the one starter manager Joe Girardi has always depended on to keep the Yankees afloat. If the Bombers are to make the postseason, Tanaka's won-loss record is going to play a major part.

MOREKeidel: Yankees Need Tanaka To Get On Track Sooner Rather Than Later

But his last two starts have been so bad that one can't help but worry that the Japanese ace has slipped. It was worrisome enough that his ERA during a 5-1 start sat at 4.46. That's not tragic for most pitchers. But for someone who sports a 3.43 career ERA despite pitching the last couple of seasons with a partially torn right ulnar ligament, it did send up a pink flag.

Yankees P Masahiro Tanaka
Yankees starter Masahiro Tanaka, left, talks with catcher Gary Sanchez during the first inning of the second game of their doubleheader against the Houston Astros on May 14, 2017 in the Bronx. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

His last two starts, against Houston and Tampa Bay, turned it red. Fourteen earned runs over just 4 2/3 innings, with seven homers among the 16 hits he's given up in that span skyrocketed Tanaka's ERA to 6.56, fourth-worst in the majors.

Even at 5-3, he hasn't had a quality start since April 27, five outings ago, when he three-hit Boston for his second career shutout.

All this might have been shrugged off as a symptom of young team looking for identity and direction. But the Yankees' character has been anything but that, despite a lineup filled with youngsters and now minus veteran center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury for a week as he recovers from the unfortunate encounter he had with the outfield wall on Wednesday.

The Bombers are true contenders now, and that puts more pressure on their few veteran leaders.

Because of his past consistency, Tanaka is that leader for the pitching staff. So it's important he get back on track and start looking the part.

There is no downplaying folks like Pineda or Severino, however. Pineda's surprisingly strong performance this year at 5-2 with a 3.35 ERA has provided a cushion while Tanaka tries to find himself.

Ditto for Severino. A year removed from a disastrous 2016 where he found success in the bullpen after going 0-8 as a starter, the 23-year-old had a career outing Wednesday, allowing no runs on four hits in eight innings.

While fashioning a 3-2 record and 3.11 ERA, he has shown again the command of 2015, when a 5-3, 2.89 mark in 11 starts convinced followers that he could be the Yankees' next great pitcher.

For all the unexpected achievement of the starters, the problem remains their past. At this early stage, there's still plenty of time for Pineda's maddening inconsistency to show its ugly head again. Severino's youth could still catch up with him. And the rotation's other mainstay, 36-year-old CC Sabathia, will undoubtedly have his struggles against age and injury as the season continues.

Tanaka is the one Girardi needs to excel. That's not happening at this point. If his troubles continue, the Yanks may have to take a good, deep look into that partially torn connector to find a cause, despite their past reluctance to do just that.

All true contenders need their down-the-line starters to contribute. But they also need their aces to perform to their potential.

Tanaka can opt out of the last three years and $67 million of his contract after 2017. But if he can't get himself back on track soon, a lot more than his future earning power could suffer.

Contenders need aces like Tanaka. To this point, he has been anything but that.

Please follow Ernie on Twitter at @ErniePalladino

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