Tanaka feeling healthy after first bullpen session

Yankees pitcher Masahiro Tanaka's elbow injury last season was definitely serious, but Tanaka himself apparently isn't stressing it.

Tanaka feels fine with the current state of his rehab a day after throwing his first bullpen session of 2015, he told the media Friday morning in Tampa. 

"I feel it's healed," Tanaka said, according to NJ.com. "I'm confident I can get through the season."

Tanaka partially tore his right UCL during a start in Cleveland last July, sidelining him until September 21. When the issue was first realized, Tanaka was only expected to miss 6-8 weeks, but the then-rookie struggled to recover quickly. 

The Yankees aren't that concerned about Tanaka's ability to stay healthy, however, and don't view his situation as unique.

"What he's been through, it's not really uncommon," team manager Joe Girardi said.

Tanaka, along with all of the other Yankees' pitchers and catchers, reported to spring training Friday, the first notable date of the club's preseason. The rest of the squad is set to arrive February 25, and the first exhibition game will be played March 3. 

It's presently unknown when Tanaka will make an appearance in an active contest, but the Yankees trust he will be okay when he does. 

"There's been a lot of pitchers who have gone through what he's had and pitched for a substantial period of time before anything has to be done," Girardi said.