It's a start

Masahiro Tanaka took the first of what figures to be many steps before he’s ready to rejoin the Yankees when he played catch on Monday at Yankee Stadium.

Tanaka is hoping to avoid Tommy John surgery and said his arm felt fine throwing on flat ground in the outfield before the Yankees opened a homestand against the Tigers with a 21 victory.

But Joe Girardi cautioned it will be a while before anyone knows Tanaka’s fate. “It’s way too early,” the manager said following the session, which involved Tanaka lightly throwing 25 times from 60 feet. Tanaka, though, admitted to being “relieved” after throwing for the first time since a small tear in his ulnar collateral ligament was discovered last month.

He last pitched on July 8 in Cleveland and then received a plateletrich plasma injection on July 14. If the rehab program works, Tanaka could be back at the end of the month. If not, the elbow surgery would almost certainly cause him to miss all of 2015.

“I think it went well,” Tanaka said through an interpreter. “I’m ready to take the next step.”

Tanaka is expected to play catch again Tuesday with more throws and at a longer distance, according to Girardi.

Both the pitcher and manager agreed they couldn’t predict when he might return although, when the injury was discovered, general manager Brian Cashman said late August would be the earliest Tanaka could come back.

“It’s obviously a positive he didn’t feel anything [Monday], but as I said, it was a pretty light catch,” Girardi said. “I think you have to get him on the mound to really see how he’s doing.”

Girardi did say it was a step forward — and considering how decimated the rotation has been this season, Monday was a success. The clubhouse is filled with Yankees starters in various states of disarray.

“Obviously, if there was discomfort, that would be very discouraging,” Girardi said. “So it is a positive day.”

Tanaka, who had tapered off after a blazing start to his major league career after the Yankees invested $175 million in him during the offseason, said he was relieved.

“I am actually,” said Tanaka, who was examined by team physician Chris Ahmad on Friday. “I think I’m ready for the next step and I’m very relieved about that.”

He also insisted he wasn’t concerned about how he would make it through the session.

“I wasn’t worried,” Tanaka said. “I was more excited about being able to throw.”