Yankees' Masahiro Tanaka makes 2015 debut vs. Braves

TAMPA – If his first start of the spring in any indication, Masahiro Tanaka's elbow is just fine, thank you.

Tanaka retired all six Atlanta Braves hitters he faced Thursday night, throwing 15 of his 19 pitches for strikes.

"Overall, I think it was good," Tanaka said afterward through an interpreter. "Probably the best part was that I was able to get first-pitch strikes."

After missing more than two months last season with a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching elbow, Tanaka has been limited to throwing batting practice and simulated games so far this spring to make sure that he isn't feeling any discomfort.

But in his first live game action, the Atlanta hitters were the ones who looked uncomfortable.

"I think I was able to throw pretty close to how I would be throwing during the regular season," he said.

Catcher Brian McCann agreed. "His sinker was what impressed me the most. He was putting the ball where he wanted," McCann said. "He looked great tonight. … We're excited to have him back."

Changing speeds successfully, Tanaka recorded four easy ground ball outs and struck out the other two hitters he faced, getting Freddie Freeman looking at a nasty slider to end the first inning and Jonny Gomes swinging at a split-fingered fastball to open the second.

Upset with the called strike to Freeman, Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez was ejected in the bottom of the first inning when Shelby Miller's first pitch to Yankees leadoff batter Jacoby Ellsbury was called a ball.

Tanaka posted a 12-4 record and 2.51 ERA in 18 starts before partially tearing the ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching elbow. He and the Yankees opted against surgery and he returned to the mound for two starts in September.

In his first spring appearance, Tanaka said he felt better than he did at the end of last year. He so efficient that he threw another 18 pitches in the bullpen to get in his prescribed amount of work for the night.

Tanaka is one of several Yankees starting pitchers with injury questions this spring.

Veteran CC Sabathia is coming back from knee surgery that ended his 2014 season in July. However, he did pitch earlier in the day in a simulated game.

"Those guys are going to be key to our rotation and each step getting them back in there from their injuries is one step closer to the season," McCann said.

Michael Pineda missed nearly half of last year with back issues. And just this week, projected fifth starter Chris Capuano suffered a Grade 2 quadriceps strain that will force him to miss at least a month.

But for least for one day in Yankees camp, the injury news is all positive.