Yankees still an MLB favorite despite Tanaka injury

Megan
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Posted on: July 7, 2020 7:51 pm EDT

The New York Yankees had a scary situation last Saturday when starter Masahiro Tanaka was struck in the head by a line drive during a simulated practice game.
Tanaka is still in concussion protocol according to manager Aaron Boone, but the team is hopeful that he will available to start the 60-game regular season when it begins on July 23rd. Here’s a comment that Boone made regarding Tanaka’s upcoming availability (source NYPost.com).

“I don’t know the earliest day. I will start to ask that question later today and probably into [Tuesday]. He did ride the [exercise] bike [Monday], 15 or 20 minutes. That is obviously another important step as well going through his baseline testing that he did really well on. Look, all signs continue to be encouraging with Masa. He got his heart rate up today [and] there were no side effects, no symptoms. We continue to be encouraged but like we are doing in this new world of COVID, similar with Masa, we will take it day by day but I would say we are very encouraged with where he is at and how he has responded.”

Yankees the second-favorite to win the World Series

New York is +355 to win the World Series at Winning Poker Network Sportsbooks, only trailing the Los Angeles Dodgers (+320). Those two teams have a big advantage over the rest of the field with the hated Houston Astros (+967) significantly back in third place.

The Bronx Bombers already had some questions about their starting rotation even after signing ace Gerrit Cole this offseason. James Paxton is slotted in as the No. 2 ahead of Tanaka, but he had injuries last year. Luis Severino is already lost for the season after Tommy John surgery.

The Dodgers recently suffered their own big blow in the starting pitching department when David Price said he will not play this season due to Covid-19 precautions.