MLB Rumors: Japanese Pitcher Masahiro Tanaka May Not Be Posted This Offseason

One of the top targets heading into the Major League Baseball offseason, Japanese star pitcher Masahiro Tanaka has certainly garnered loads of attention since the completion of the 2013 regular season. The 25-year-old right-hander – who posted an unblemished record of 24-0 last season for the Rakuten Golden Eagles of the Pacific League – was considered among the top three to five free agents on the market, but because of the fact that he may not be posted by his current team, ballclubs around the MLB weren't putting all their eggs in one basket.

Clubs including the Texas Rangers, Anaheim Angels and New York Yankees have shown interest in the youngster but in order to begin a negotiation process with the player, teams would have to post a fee of $20 million. That amount of money would not force most professional teams to turn away from the process but because the new fee is significantly lower than in season's past, the Golden Eagles weren't sure if they wanted to post their prized possession, even though Tanaka has expressed his desire to pitch in the United States in 2014.

According to the New York Times, it does not appear that Tanaka will be posted this offseason, postponing any dreams multiple clubs had of acquiring the next star to come from the Japanese league. Current Texas Rangers starter and former Japanese league standout Yu Darvish continues to develop into one of the game's top pitchers and each organization interested in the righty were hoping to have the opportunity to watch Tanaka develop into a dominant force of his own. Under control of his Rakuten team for the next two seasons, it appears that the rising youngster will have to wait a bit longer to pursue his Major League dreams.

If the 25-year-old does not enter the bidding period in the coming days, teams such as the Yankees, Rangers, Angels and Seattle Mariners – who recently inked former Yankee second baseman Robinson Cano to 10-year, $240 million contract – could turn their attention to the available options on the MLB free agent wire. Names including Matt Garza, Ubaldo Jimenez and Johan Santana are among the top targets but none have achieved the buzz Japan's Masahiro Tanaka has received.