With coronavirus continuing to spread in the United States, Yankees RHP Masahiro Tanaka decided it was best to fly to Japan with his family.

Tanaka tweeted out in Japanese his reasoning for returning home with his wife and 1-year-old , which NJ.com's Brendan Kuty had translated by a Japanese member of the media.

"By entering Japan from the United States where the new coronavirus is expanding, even though we currently have no symptoms, would you still infect someone without knowing it?" Tanaka said. "Wouldn't my family get infected? There were various thoughts."

"However, after spring training was discontinued, there was a situation I was in danger besides coronavirus infection while staying in Florida. I have decided to return home temporarily with deep caution."

Tanaka added that the Japanese government told him he must remain in self-quarantine for two weeks after taking the flight with his family in late March.

Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake has been working at his home to track what his pitchers have been doing, but in Tanaka's case, he admitted he hadn't talked to him in weeks.

"He's one that we've kind of left alone," Blake told NJ.com.

Tanaka has always been very meticulous about his routines in-season and out, so it's likely he will find a way to prepare like the rest of his teammates while in Japan.

He figured to be the Yankees' No. 2 starter behind Gerrit Cole following the injuries to James Paxton and Luis Severino. Paxton, though, should be back by the time the season starts.

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