Masahiro Tanaka Contract: Yankees Sign Pitcher To 7-Year, $155 Million Deal

After a busy period of negotiating with various clubs and sitting down for interviews, former Japanese League star Masahiro Tanaka announced Wednesday that he will join the New York Yankees. The 25-year-old international star posted an unblemished 24-0 record last season for the Rakuten Golden Eagles of the Pacific League and his overall record coupled with a superb 1.27 ERA made him one of the top free agents on the market heading into the current offseason. Knowing they needed to upgrade the pitching staff, GM Brian Cashman and Yankees higher-ups have added a high-profile pitcher who should have no trouble playing under the New York spotlight since Japanese baseball is one of the most publicized and followed events overseas.

New York began the free agent period with the signing of former Atlanta Braves catcher Brian McCann, filling a hole that was created last season with the departure of Russell Martin, who opted to sign with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Following up the McCann signing with the additions of Carlos Beltran and Jacoby Ellsbury, the Yankees proved that they were serious about upgrading at multiple positions, and the signings of the aforementioned outfielders certainly gives the line-up promise moving forward. Though the Bronx Bombers failed to re-sign second baseman Robinson Cano -- who signed a 10-year, $240 million contract with the Seattle Mariners -- New York should enjoy the return of familiar faces Derek Jeter and Mark Teixeira, who are coming back from 2013 injuries.

Adding the new crop of players with those returning from injury will certainly give the Yankees hope about reclaiming the top spot in the American League East, although the defending champion Boston Red Sox, Tampa Bay Rays, Baltimore Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays all pose levels of threat. The signing of Tanaka should also boost the Yankees' chances of rolling out a strong starting rotation since he'll now join the likes of CC Sabathia, Ivan Nova and Hiroki Kuroda. Michael Pineda, Vidal Nuno and David Phelps are the top three in-house pitchers competing for the final spot in New York's rotation.

With the signings of Tanaka, Ellsbury, McCann and Beltran along with the addition of veterans Kelly Johnson, Brian Roberts and Brendan Ryan, the Yankees have put together one of the best offseasons in franchise history, at least from the"'filling a need" perspective.