Yankees' Masahiro Tanaka apparently hurt, pulled from game vs. Mets

by Felix Pantaleón

Yankees starting pitcher Masahiro Tanaka appeared to hurt himself running from third base to home against the Mets at Citi Field on Friday night.

NEW YORK — It scored a run.

Still, it might not have been worth it.

Yankees starting pitcher Masahiro Tanaka left after just five innings and 75 pitches against the Mets on Friday night.

The team said he left the game with stiffness in both hamstrings and will be re-evaluated Saturday.

Tanaka shook his head walking back to the dugout after scoring on Aaron Judge‘s bases-loaded sacrifice fly in the fifth inning to tie the score at 1-all.

He met with the Yankees’ lead trainer and then went into the clubhouse.

Reliever Jonathan Holder pitched the sixth inning.

Tanaka had held the Mets to just one earned run — Brandon Nimmo‘s leadoff home run — through the first five innings. He struck out eight.

What Frazier thinks about facing Yankees

Here are some pregame notes from the Yankees:

GOT YOUR NUMBER: OF Giancarlo Stanton is a career .409/.480/1.000 (9-for-22) hitter with 1 double, 4HR and 3BB vs. Jacob deGrom, the most HR deGrom has allowed to any batter in his career…is tied for Stanton’s most HR off any pitcher.

Has 21HR in 52G at Citi Field, most by any visiting player…his .613 SLG is highest at the ballpark among all players (min. 100AB)…has 4HR in his last 5G at Citi Field (since 5/6/17) and 9HR over his last 15G (since 4/11/16).
His solo HR on Wed. at Toronto had a 119.3 mph exit velocity, the hardest hit homer in the Majors this season.

BLANK SPACES: Yankees pitchers shut out Toronto in 13 innings on Wednesday, marking only the second time in the last 42 seasons (since 1977) they recorded a shutout in a game that lasted at least 13 innings (also 15 shutout innings on 8/7/09 vs. Boston).

PEN PALS: Since 4/21, Yankees relievers have posted a 2.49 ERA (130.0IP, 36ER) with 165K…had posted a 4.34 (74.2IP, 36ER) in their first 18G of the season…their 2.49 in ERA in that span ranks second in the Majors behind Milwaukee (2.45).

Yankees relievers lead the Majors with 276K and rank second with a .208 opponents’ BA…rank third in the AL and sixth in the Majors with a 3.17 ERA.
Three Yankees rank in the top eight in strikeouts in the AL among relievers: LHP Aroldis Chapman (46K, 2nd), Dellin Betances (45K, 3rd) and RHP Chad Green (38K, T-7th).

Brendan Kuty may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @BrendanKutyNJ. Find NJ.com Yankees on Facebook.