Masahiro Tanaka bidding begins, will conclude by January 24

Dec 11, 2013; Orlando, FL, USA; Rakuten Golden Eagles president Yozo Tachibana (right) walks through the lobby during the MLB Winter Meetings at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort. Tachibana has not decided whether or not to allow

(not pictured) to sign with a MLB team now that Nippon Professional Baseball and the MLB have agreed on a $20 Million maximum posting bid. Mandatory Credit:

-USA TODAY Sports

Japanese right-hander Masahiro Tanaka is now available for any Major League Baseball team willing to pay the $20 million posting fee. The posting process begins this morning, and will conclude by January 24.

Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News reported details for the bidding war on Twitter.

Tanaka, 25, went 24-0 with a 1.27 ERA and 183 strikeouts in 212 innings this past season for the Rakuten Golden Eagles of Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. Casey Close of Excel Sports Management will represent him. Close also represents Los Angeles Dodgers’ pitchers Clayton Kershaw and Zack Grienke, as well as New York Yankees’ infielders Derek Jeter and Mark Teixeria.

Tanaka has been linked to the Dodgers, Yankees, Arizona Diamondbacks, Los Angeles Angles of Anaheim, Texas Rangers, and the Chicago Cubs.

The Cubs are “all in” on Tanaka and a source informed CSN Chicago’s David Kaplan they will not be outbid but bringing him to Chicago would be difficult.

The Cubs had been waiting for a decision on Tanaka but went out and reached an agreement with a trio of left-handers late last week. Tanaka, 25, fits in with the club’s long-term plans and would immediately upgrade the starting rotation that ranked ninth in the NL with a 3.97 ERA in 2013.

If Tanaka is not signed, which is unlikely, he will rejoin the Golden Eagles for the 2014 season.

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