New York Yankees pitcher Masahiro Tanaka is nearing full recovery as team executives confirmed their ace will ramp up his rehabilitation in the next several days.

Tanaka, who has not seen action over the past two weeks after being placed on the disabled list due to a right wrist tendinitis and forearm strain, will have his first bullpen session on Tuesday since sustaining the injury.

The Yankees are still mum on a possible return date as they are taking a cautious approach, thinking that the wrist injury is related to the partially torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow.

Previous reports indicated that injury could be a sign Tanaka needs to undergo Tommy John surgery that will put his future in doubt, but Yankees manager Joe Girardi is still confident the Japanese ace pitcher will avoid operation based on how the 26 year old played catch in recent training sessions.

"I'm encouraged," Girardi told NJ.com. "They said playing catch he's looked really good. And I know it's playing catch, but when you get 120 feet away, you have to air it out and you have to use your arm strength. So I'm excited with it going forward."

Yankees pitching coach Larry Rothschild is also upbeat after Tanaka threw with more force from longer distance on Sunday and Monday. Rothschild said that Tanaka has responded well to treatment and that they are not alarmed unless Tanaka suffers setback after his upcoming bullpen session.

Tanaka, who went 2-1 with a 3.22 ERA and 24 strikeouts in his first four starts this season, also said during the weekend that he is not worried about his injured elbow, ESPN reported.

Tanaka said that he is confident he is heading into the right direction because his arms are feeling good. The Itami, Japan native also reiterated that he is convinced the wrist injury had nothing to do with his injured elbow.

Without Tanaka, the Yankees, who signed the right hander to a seven-year deal worth $155 million last year, managed to remain on top of the American League East standings at 21-12 -- four games ahead of the 17-16 Tampa Bay Rays.

For the latest sports news, follow Latin Post Sports on Twitter.   

FOR MORE MLB UPDATES, TRADE AND FREE AGENCY NEWS LATIN POST.COM'S SPORTS PAGE.