Tanaka looks to end struggles in matchup with Angels

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The New York Yankees are in first place in the American League East, so when they take the field Monday against the Los Angeles Angels, the baffling case of Masahiro Tanaka won't demand headlines in the New York tabloids.

However, Yankees manager Joe Girardi is still doing everything he can to try to figure out the reason for Tanaka's erratic season so far.

The 28-year-old right-hander went 39-16 over his first three seasons with the Yankees, including 14-4 with a 3.07 ERA last year. In 12 starts this season, though, he is 5-6 with a 6.55 ERA, and the 48 earned runs he has allowed lead the American League.

Tanaka is riding a career-high, five-game losing streak that continued when he allowed three homers and five runs in five innings during a 5-4 loss to the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday.

"I really believe it's consistency in his mechanics," Girardi said. "It can be minor, just a tick late with your arm or your hip opens up early, your shoulder opens up a tick early, and that's what leads to the inconsistency with the pitches.

"We've seen good sliders. We've seen good splits. We've seen good location with his fastball, but when you're off a little bit mechanically, there's inconsistencies."

And it's more than just mechanics.

Girardi decided to push Tanaka back a day from his scheduled start Sunday against Baltimore to face the Mike Trout-less Angels. Tanaka has already faced the Orioles twice this season, losing both games and posting an 8.44 ERA.

The Yankees started reliever Chad Green on Sunday, and he lasted only two innings, though it made little difference in a 14-3 rout of the Orioles.

Girardi said of Tanaka, "He's seen Baltimore a lot already this year. We just felt let's just give him an extra day, and the benefits of doing that to me are not only just for him but obviously in somewhat doing this around him, I don't think the extra day hurts CC (Sabathia) and I really don't think the extra day hurts Michael (Pineda)."

Tanaka has pitched well against the Angels, though he has faced them only three times in his career, going 1-0 with a 1.71 ERA.

Despite Tanaka's struggles, the Yankees are on a five-game winning streak after scoring 38 runs during a three-game sweep of Baltimore. The Yankees also have scored 55 times since Tanaka's last start, and they headed to Anaheim after Aaron Judge upped his major-league-leading home run total to 21 with two blasts Sunday.

The Angels return home after a successful trip during which they won four of six, including two of three from the AL West-leading Houston Astros. They are pushing forward without the injured Trout, but have gotten a surprise boost from the man who replaced Trout on the roster -- Eric Young Jr.

Since being called up May 29, Young is hitting .318 (14-for-44) with three doubles, two homers, seven RBI and four stolen bases in 13 games.

"E.Y. is making the most of an opportunity," Angels manager Mike Sciosica said. "He's gotten some big hits, playing good defense, whether he's in center or left. Ran the bases aggressively. He definitely fits with these guys, and he's playing good baseball."

Hard-throwing Alex Meyer (2-3, 4.08 ERA) will start the series opener for the Angels. The 6-foot-9 right-hander pitched well in his last two starts, though he didn't get a win in either.

He held the Minnesota Twins to one run and five hits in six innings on June 1 but got a no-decision. Last Wednesday against the Detroit Tigers, he gave up an unearned run and three hits in six innings but got the loss because the Angels were shut out.

Meyer has never faced the Yankees.