Yankee target Masahiro Tanaka officially posted, giving Bombers chance to bid ...
Danny Moloshok/REUTERSJust in time for Christmas, Masahiro Tanaka will reportedly be posted by his Japanese team.
The Masahiro Tanaka soap opera might finally be coming to an end. And the bidding may finally be ready to begin.
Japanese newspaper Sponichi reported Tuesday that the Rakuten Golden Eagles have decided to post the 25-year-old ace after all, a drastic change of heart after the club appeared set to keep Tanaka for another year as recently as last week.
According to Sponichi, Rakuten is expected to make an announcement Wednesday.
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Tanaka went 24-0 with a 1.27 ERA last season, leading Rakuten to the Pacific League championship and a win in the Japan Series. Tanaka won Pacific League MVP honors and captured his second Sawamura Award, Japan's equivalent to the Cy Young.
Last week, Tanaka publicly stated his desire to move to the majors, hoping to take his game to the next level.
'I have been hoping to go to the majors in the future,' Tanaka said during a news conference. 'But after finishing the season and when thinking about the next season, I wanted to try to challenge myself on a new stage.'
RELATED: HARPER: TANAKA STAKES GROW FOR YANKEESRakuten president Yozo Tachibana reportedly said the team had decided to keep Tanaka, as the New York Times reported that the club was prepared to make him the highest-paid Japanese pitcher in history.
But a major-league official told the Daily News last Thursday that the league still expected Tanaka to be posted, though it was unclear when a final decision would have to be made. Under the new posting system rules, Rakuten doesn't have to make a final decision until February 1.
The Yankees are one of many teams expected to submit the maximum $20 million bid for Tanaka, which would give them the opportunity to negotiate with the pitcher. The Dodgers are also expected to make a strong charge for Tanaka, though up to a dozen teams could thrust themselves into the mix.
RELATED: NEW POSTING RULES HAVE YANKS WAITING
Tanaka has not announced which U.S.-based agent will represent him, though a source said Arn Tellem - who also represents Yu Darvish and was Hideki Matsui's agent - was the frontrunner to land the pitcher.
The Yankees have one open spot in their rotation, though they have shown no interest in top free-agent hurlers such as Matt Garza, Ervin Santana or Ubaldo Jimenez. Tanaka has been their primary pitching target all winter, but the delay in the new posting system agreement has forced them and the rest of baseball to be patient as the situation plays out.
That patience might finally be rewarded on Wednesday
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