Yankees splash cash on Tanaka

Right-hander Masahiro Tanaka has signed a seven-year, $155 million deal to join the New York Yankees, the team reported on Wednesday, making the Japanese ace the fifth highest paid pitcher in Major League Baseball.

Tanaka, who Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said had been on the team's radar for eight years, was a perfect 24-0 with the Japanese Series champion Rakuten Golden Eagles last season and is regarded as one of the prize catches of the offseason.

He was reportedly pursued by a dozen major league teams, including the Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago White Sox and Toronto Blue Jays.