The New York Yankees continue fighting for their season but had a major setback with their pitching department again as starter Masahiro Tanaka sustained a right hamstring strain.
Tanaka was set to pitch in the third and final game of their series against the Toronto Blue Jays this Wednesday, but the injury will prevent him from doing so.
The Yankees already lost 4–2 in the first game which took place last Monday, with the second game to be played today.
Tanaka, who is the most efficient starting pitcher for New York, will be replaced by Iván Nova, according to manager Joe Girardi.
According to ESPN, Tanaka suffered the injury in last Friday's game against the New York Mets; but after that, he pitched four more innings which kept Girardi hopeful for an early return for the pitcher.
To prevent aggravating the injury, which Girardi admitted is a fear if Tanaka pitches, they have decided to not to make him play in Game 3 of the Blue Jays series this Wednesday.
Tanaka hurt his hamstring batting in just his sixth appearance in the plate this season.
The injury was seen after the 26-year-old starter went through a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) last Saturday.
Tanaka, who has a 3.38 earned run average (ERA) and is 12–7 in 23 games this season, did not join the club in their trip to Toronto, with Girardi saying, according to ESPN, "We figured it's better for him just to get the treatment at home."
The injury is not new for the Yankees who were hit with various injuries to their pitchers this season.
But the plan for Tanaka is to be back in the rotation and start again next week to prepare him for the playoffs if ever the Yankees make it, according to another report by ESPN.
The Yankees are currently second in the American League East with an 82–67 record, 3.5 games behind the Blue Jays who are on the top spot with an 86–64 record.
