Masahiro Tanaka is on pace to return and pitch in at least two more games for the New York Yankees this season after suffering no setback following a simulated game before their game against the Tampa Bay Rays last Tuesday.

Tanaka, who has not pitched in the major league since their 5-3 loss to the Cleveland Browns on July 8, threw 45 pitches in the simulated game.

And based from the result, Tanaka, who went 12-4 with a 2.51 ERA in his first 18 starts, could pitch again for the Yankees either on Sept. 20 or 21.

The Japanese ace pitcher said that he did not feel any pain after the session unlike during his previous simulated pitching session in Detroit on Aug. 28 where he suffered general soreness the following day.

Yankees manager Joe Girardi said in an interview that they liked what they saw from Tanaka on Tuesday, saying that he pitched better than the previous one in Detroit.

"I thought he was better than Detroit," Girardi said via NY Daily News. "I thought his stuff was sharper, I thought there was more velocity, I thought there was better command."

Chris Young, who was one of the batters during the simulated game, also added that Tanaka managed to throw effectively against them and he sees no reason why the 25-year-old will not return to pitch in the major league again this season.

"He looked amazing, didn't give up a hit, and we're all up there trying for sure," Young said. "We're not just standing in. We're trying to have competitive at-bats and give him as much of a real-game situation as you can. He locked right in and made some great pitches."

Girardi added, though, that they can only gauge Tanaka's health in an actual game. If Tanaka suffers setback after throwing in the major league, Girardi admitted that they have no other choice but to let the right hander undergo a Tommy John surgery to repair that partially torn ulnar collateral ligament.

"If he pitched in a big league game or two and felt good, you wouldn't do surgery on a guy that felt good, that's the bottom line," Girardi said via ESPN. "Our hope is that we get through this and that he's a pitcher for us next year. For us to operate on a guy that feels good would be silly."

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