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Tanaka to be activated for Wednesday's start

Yankees ace 'feeling good,' set to return from right wrist tendinitis, forearm strain

OAKLAND -- Masahiro Tanaka will be activated from the disabled list and has been scheduled to start against the Mariners in Seattle on Wednesday, Yankees manager Joe Girardi said Friday.

Tanaka flew to join the club following his second Minor League rehabilitation start Wednesday at Pawtucket for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, and said that he feels healthy after spending the last month on the disabled list.

"Obviously my body is feeling good, being healthy," Tanaka said through an interpreter. "I'm feeling good right now, but there are always going to be ups and downs when you go out on the mound. All I'm thinking is just trying to go out there and trying to be my best."

Tanaka, 26, has been on the disabled list since April 27 with tendinitis in his right wrist and a strained forearm. He threw 62 pitches in Wednesday's start, permitting three earned runs and four hits over three innings, and reported no physical issues.

Video: NYY@OAK: Yankees' broadcast on Tanaka's rehab stint

"I think I was not hitting my spots when I needed to, so that part, I was a little bit off on that day," Tanaka said.

Girardi said that Tanaka is expected to throw about 80 pitches against the Mariners, and that slotting Tanaka into the rotation does not necessarily mean that left-hander Chris Capuano -- who started Friday against the Athletics -- will be the one to be bumped from the rotation.

"Obviously when you have the ball, you have a chance to make a statement, but there's other things that go into it," Girardi said. "A lot can happen between now and Wednesday, and I don't want any of our players ever looking over their shoulders about spots. Everyone knew he was coming back, so it's no surprise. He's here. Everyone knows he's here, too."

Bryan Hoch is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @bryanhoch, on Facebook and read his MLBlog, Bombers Beat.
Read More: New York Yankees, Masahiro Tanaka