Masahiro Tanaka to stay with NPB’s Golden Eagle Tohoku Rakuten for the 2022 season

Earlier this week, Major League Baseball’s the owner voted to lock the player, bringing the league’s season to a halt. Just because MLB is active until a new Collective Bargaining Agreement can be ratified by both parties does not mean that other tournaments around the world are suspended.

To wit, Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball Team announced on Friday that veteran starting pitcher Masahiro Tanaka will return to the club for the 2022 season, according to Yahoo! Japan.

Tanaka, 33, is best known to American audiences for the 7 seasons he spent as a member of New York Yankees Rotation. Before signing a seven-year, $155 million deal with the Yankees ahead of the 2014 season, he had seven years as a Rakuten roster member.

Tanaka re-joined the Golden Eagles last season after failing to find a major league contract to his liking. His two-year contract includes an opt-out clause for this winter, and there has been speculation that he may be looking to return to the United States. The lockout robbed Tanaka of his ability to negotiate with MLB . Teams However, until a new CBA could be obtained, that left him with no choice but to opt in for a second year. (It’s unclear if Tanaka will attempt to return to the main scene next season.)

Tanaka made 23 appearances for the Golden Eagles last season, amassing a 3.01 ERA and a 4.34 walk rate in 155 2/3 plays thrown.

During those seven seasons with the Yankees, Tanaka accumulated a 3.74 ERA and 4.76 hit ratio between games. His performances have a combined value of 17.4 Wins Over Substitution, as calculated by Baseball Reference.