Masahiro Tanaka's health -- specifically that of his right ulnar collateral ligament -- is probably the most significant single factor that will affect the New York Yankees' chances of reaching the postseason this year. The partial tear that ended his 2014 season didn't require surgery and he chose to rehab it rather than miss an entire season after an operation. On Wednesday, he started at home against the New York Mets and looked good but not as good as he appeared early last season, displaying reduced stuff across the board.

Tanaka went 4 2/3 innings against the Mets, leaving after he allowed a double, and sat at 89-92 mph all day with good command and a little life on his fastball. His splitter ranged from above-average to plus, mostly between 84 and 87 mph, with some at the lower end of the range showing heavy “bottom” but others staying up too long and becoming closer to below-average fastballs.