Yankees to activate Tanaka from DL Wednesday; will start vs. Mariners

Masahiro Tanaka threw just 62 pitches in his second rehab start with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Wednesday, battling decreased velocity while allowing three earned runs on four hits and two walks over three shaky innings in Pawtucket.

Still, the New York Yankees are confident the 26-year-old doesn't need more refinement in the minor leagues, as manager Joe Girardi announced Friday that Tanaka will be activated from the disabled list to start Wednesday's game against the Seattle Mariners.

Despite his lackluster outing in Pawtucket, though, Tanaka insisted he felt no discomfort in his second start since landing on the disabled list April 23 with a with right forearm soreness and wrist tendinitis.

“My arm is absolutely fine,” Tanaka told Zach Braziller of the New York Post through an interpreter. “It’s just that I was missing some spots today. You always have the good and the bad. You have to fight through the bad times and try to go about your business.”

Tanaka, who crafted a 3.22 ERA (125 ERA+) over four starts before heading to the disabled list, is expected to throw about 80 pitches at Safeco Field.