Tanaka explains why he signed with ‘world-famous’ Yankees

Masahiro Tanaka hasn’t put on a pinstriped uniform yet, but it sounds as if he understands the expectations of pitching in The Bronx.

Asked Thursday in Tokyo what his goal was in joining the Yankees, the right-hander said: “To become world champions.”

Tanaka, who signed a seven-year, $155 million deal Wednesday with the Yankees, was the most sought-after arm on the market this winter, and the Yankees blew by their goal of staying under the $189 million luxury-tax threshold in order to outbid the Dodgers and Cubs, among others, to get him. They also have to pay a $20 million posting fee to Tanaka’s former team, the Rakuten Golden Eagles.

The 25-year-old said he was “relieved” to get the contract and said of signing with the Yankees: “They gave me the highest evaluation and are a world-famous team.”

Asked to deliver a message to fans in English, Tanaka said: “I don’t speak English, so I’ll just have to win the trust and confidence of the fans with my performance on the field.”

Former Yankees Andruw Jones and Casey McGehee, who played with Tanaka for Rakuten last year, said he is working on his English and raved about his competitiveness.

Tanaka said he consulted with other Japanese pitchers such as Yu Darvish and Takashi Saito who have made the transition to the majors.

“Everything will be new and challenging,” Tanaka said. “But I have to rely on my ability that got me this far.”

That ability helped him go 24-0 last season for Rakuten, which set off an unprecedented bidding war for a pitcher who has never appeared in the majors.

With AP