TAMPA — The most valuable right elbow in Yankees camp was on display Monday morning at George M. Steinbrenner Field.
Masahiro Tanaka graduated from bullpen sessions to live batting practice and didn’t appear to have a problem with the elbow that suffered a small tear in the ulnar collateral ligament last July.
Yet, the right-hander explained he didn’t push the elbow to the max, either, but not because anything was wrong physically.
“It’s natural once you are on the mound and facing batters you want to go hard. I tried in my mind not to go too hard,’’ Tanaka said.
“I am perfectly fine. Obviously I understand everybody is worried about the elbow and I understand, too, that I have to be cautious about it, too, but so far it has been good.’’
Of his 25 pitches — to a five-man group consisting of Brett Gardner, Chris Young, Tyler Austin, Ramon Flores and Jonathan Galvez — Tanaka said “five or six’’ were his signature split-fingered fastballs. Six of his offerings produced swings.
“I think I was able to get some ground balls off of it,’’ Tanaka said of the split. “I was pretty satisfied how the ball was moving.’’
According to Girardi, who watched from behind the mound with pitching coach Larry Rothschild, Tanaka will throw another bullpen or simulated game before starting an exhibition game.
“I thought he looked good. He is right where we want him to be,’’ Girardi said.
Early in the process, the Yankees’ decision to avoid Tommy John surgery on Tanaka’s elbow looks smart, but there is a big difference between live batting practice and the stress of working every fifth or sixth day in a real big league game.
Tanaka, 26, likely holds the key to the Yankees being competitive in the AL East or finishing below .500.
With a healthy Tanaka, a $175 million investment, the Yankees have a legitimate ace who went 13-5 with a 2.77 ERA in 20 games (including just two September outings). Before he was injured July 8 in Cleveland, Tanaka was a candidate for AL Cy Young and Rookie of the Year.
CC Sabathia, the former staff ace coming back from right knee surgery, threw 42 pitches in the bullpen and will progress to a batting practice session in the next outing. After that he could pitch in an exhibition game.
Also throwing a bullpen session was right-handed reliever Jose Ramirez, who has been plagued by rib cage injuries the past two seasons when he appeared in a total of 34 games (eight with the Yankees last year).
“I like him, he looks stronger. He can be a guy that can help the team,’’ guest instructor and all-time saves leader Mariano Rivera said after watching the bullpen exercise from behind the mound. “He has tremendous stuff, electric stuff. He has it all. He is a good kid and put on weight in the lower half and his legs are a lot stronger. I don’t see why he can’t help. It’s all up to him.’’
The 6-foot-1, 200-pound 25-year-old from the Dominican Republic is likely headed to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to start the season to build up innings and sharpen a mid-90s fastball and baffling changeup.