Rakuten’s Masahiro Tanaka’s Delayed Return Tied to Tomohiro Anraku Scandal

Masahiro Tanaka (35), a major pitcher with 197 wins combined in Japan and the U.S., is struggling to return to form for the Rakuten Eagles.

After undergoing right elbow cleaning surgery last October, he has been rehabilitating in the minor leagues. His last game was on March 20 against DeNA in the Eastern League, and since then, he has been away from competitive play.

“It seems his condition is not improving as expected. He was scheduled to pitch in the Eastern League in mid-April, but that plan was canceled. There is no specific timeline for his return. Tanaka has repeatedly expressed in media interviews that he wants to pitch in a way that shows he’s back. This situation is undoubtedly troubling for him personally.

Compared to his stellar performance contributing to Rakuten’s first Japan Series title in 2013 with 24 wins and zero losses, and his six consecutive seasons of double-digit wins from 2014 while anchoring the Yankees’ rotation, his fastball velocity and changeup quality have declined. Last year, he suffered a league-high 11 losses with a career-worst 4.91 ERA. It appears challenging for him to match the expectations against his own image,” a team source commented.

Targeted Numbers

His struggle to regain form isn’t just physical. There are unexpected factors delaying his return.

“I think there’s also an impact on the mental side. Particularly significant was the power harassment scandal involving junior player Tomohiro Anraku, who faced criticism and was released. Anraku, a power pitcher akin to Tanaka in his younger days, was someone Tanaka looked out for. The trouble involving Anraku, whom he cared for deeply, was quite shocking for him. Additionally, the departure of close team staff members further affected his motivation,” said the source.

However, recently, Tanaka has been throwing 20-30 pitches daily in bullpen sessions. He seems to be gradually moving towards a return to the top team.

“With encouragement from those around him, his mindset is gradually becoming more positive. His goal is to reach the milestone of 200 combined wins in Japan and the U.S., which he’s nearing with three wins to go. Having led Rakuten’s pitching staff to a Japan Series title, Tanaka is undoubtedly a future candidate for leadership roles within the team. He recognizes this himself. Achieving 200 wins would solidify his career as a pitcher and leave a lasting legacy in history,” explained a sports journalist.

Rakuten is currently in fierce competition for a spot in the A-class standings against teams like Lotte, Nippon-Ham, and Orix. Whether Tanaka’s return will spark the team or not remains to be seen. As he continues to struggle in the farm league, he aims to show fans a resurrected pitching performance.