Masahiro Tanaka rumors: Tanaka will be posted, according to reports from Japan that are circulating on Twitter.
The official announcement is expected later today, but multiple sources are apparently saying that Tanaka's club, Rakuten, will post Tanaka this offseason, rather than waiting until next year.
Tanaka, 25, is a 6'2", 205 lb. righthanded pitcher who is considered one of the top hurlers in Japan. Under the new posting system, any team willing to pay the $20 million posting fee can negotiate with him. Expectations are that Tanaka will command at least a 6 year deal at $18-20 million per year on top of the $20 million posting fee.
The Rangers have scouting Tanaka and reportedly have significant interest in him, although it remains to be seen whether their $130 million commitment to Shin-Soo Choo would take them out of the mix. My guess is that the Rangers will talk to Tanaka and be one of the teams more active on him, but some other team will be willing to pay Tanaka much more than Texas will, and he'll end up elsewhere, likely Seattle, the Dodgers, or the Yankees.