Masahiro Tanaka in the Post Season (Yankees Career)

Tonight will be Masahiro Tanaka’s ninth post season start for the Yankees.

The following is a quick look at his lifetime Yankees postseason performance:

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Tanaka’s lifetime postseason record is 5-3, 1.76.

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It the post season, Tanaka has allowed just 25 hits in 46 innings pitched. He has walked just 11 batters for an overall WHIP of 0.783.

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Over those same 46 innings, Tanaka has struck out 37 batters. In the post season, Tanaka averages 7.2 strikeouts per nine innings.

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In Tanaka’s first postseason game, he lost to the Astros 3-0. Tanaka allowed two runs over five innings.

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Two years later, Tanaka faced Cleveland and allowed no runs over seven innings and led the Yankees to a 1-0 victory. That game was the only time Masahiro Tanaka faced the Indians in the postseason.

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Of Tanaka’s eight postseason starts, five have come against the Houston Astros.

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Tanaka’s lifetime postseason record against the Astros is 2-3.

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Masahiro Tanaka is 3-0 against all other teams in the post season. He defeated the Indians in 2017, the Red Sox in 2018, and the Twins in 2019.

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In 17 postseason innings against teams other than the Astros, Tanaka has allowed just two earned runs for an ERA of 1.06.

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Masahiro Tanaka’s longest post season starts both came in the 2017 postseason. He twice went seven innings. In both games he allowed no runs and just three hits. The Yankees won both games.

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The only non-Astro to hit a homerun off Masahiro Tanaka in the postseason is Xander Bogaerts.

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(This is a non-postseason fact.) The last time Masahiro Tanaka pitched against the Indians was August 16, 2019. The Yankees won the game 3-2. Tanaka earned the win going 6.1 innings, allowing just two runs.