At a press conference in which he announced his return to the Golden Eagles Tohoku Rakuten, Veteran right pitcher Masahiro Tanaka, ex of New York Yankees, Hinted that he could return to the Major Leagues even before his two-year contract with the Japanese Eagles ends (i.e. no later than 2022):
I feel like I have outstanding issues in the United States, and I haven’t given up on that, so they agreed on terms that would keep those options open. ”
This might seem to hint at a voluntary exclusion clause after the 2021 season, notes famed New York Post journalist Ken Davidoff, and possibly a return to the Yankees in 2022.
With the Yankees intending to reset their luxury tax fine limit this winter, the team opted to spend its resources elsewhere instead of re-signing Tanaka at the desired sale price.
However, in the next low season, the Yankees may be willing to exceed the tax threshold (and pay only a fine for the first time) to acquire Tanaka and other improvements on the 40 roster.