TAMPA — It’s a good thing the Yankees didn’t invest $175 million in Masahiro Tanaka’s mid-February endurance.
Following a 32-pitch bullpen session Saturday alongside fellow starters CC Sabathia, Ivan Nova and Hiroki Kuroda, Tanaka struggled and grimaced during a one-mile conditioning run around the warning track of Field 3 adjacent to George M. Steinbrenner Field.
“Probably what I’ll remember is the four laps at the end. It was pretty hard,’’ Tanaka said after the first official day of his Yankees career. “I actually didn’t know that I was going to run this much, and I’m a little bit of a slow runner, but that part I can’t help.”
Asked if there was something that caused a problem or was different from what he experienced in Japanese spring trainings, Tanaka went back to the running.
“Actually, no, I didn’t feel that way,” Tanaka said. “But just the running part today. I said it earlier, but that one was really hard for me today.’’
Tanaka, who cost the Yankees $155 million in salary across seven years and $20 million to his former team, Rakuten, was the primary focus of the first day of pitchers and catchers working out under a gloomy morning sky that morphed into a clear blue ceiling.
Fans clung to the fence beyond the bullpen and the large media crowd watched the workout with laser focus on Tanaka.
“I really feel like I am ready to go out and start the whole thing,” said Tanaka, who threw a bullpen session Thursday at the Yankees’ minor league complex. “It is a new experience for me and I am looking forward to it.”
“He threw the same pitches,” said catcher Francisco Cervelli, who caught both bullpen workouts. “His slider was slow. The splitter was good, but the hitters are good here.’’
Armed with fastball that scouts say has different speeds and at times sink, a filthy splitter and slider, Tanaka is believed to have enough pitches to compete against major league hitters.
The hot question is how will Tanaka adjust to the enormous amount of attention he has drawn and likely to increase during the season.
“One thing I can tell you, I didn’t have much attention,” said fellow Japan native Kuroda about when he arrived in America. “Nothing like this.’’
Kuroda saw Tanaka throw for the first time Saturday and predicted the attention won’t be easy to deal with but is confident his countryman can handle it.
“I don’t think he was overwhelmed by anything,” Kuroda said. “He’s a human, so it’s not going to be easy, but I think he has the potential to overcome it.”
Cervelli, who may or not be Brian McCann’s backup, said he believes the spotlight on Tanaka will lessen a little bit because attention finds everybody in a Yankees uniform.
“When the whole team comes here, it’s going to be the same for everybody because he’s not the only guy who makes $100 million here,’’ Cervelli said. “Even me, I don’t make a million and I get attention sometimes. You get used to it.’’
Kuroda is 14 years older than Tanaka, 25, but said he is anxious to learn from the newcomer.
“I want him to help me,” Kuroda said. “I’ve seen him pitch on TV, so I haven’t seen everything. I’m looking forward to absorbing things from him.