There is potentially very good news coming from the New York Yankees injury front. On Monday, rookie sensation Masahiro Tanaka will throw for the first time since landing on the disabled list on July 9 with a partially-torn UCL in his right elbow. 

The New York Post's George King reports that Tanaka will use a sessoin of playing catch and light tossing to test his elbow, which he has rested for the past three weeks. King says that Yankees' general manager Brian Cashman will allow the throwing program to continue if Tanaka completes Monday's session without any problems. After a Friday exam from Dr. Chris Ahmad on Tanaka's elbow, Cashman proclaimed, "Every day that there isn't a problem is a good day."

However, Tanaka is not yet clear of the possibility of Tommy John surgery. If pain or other problems stem from the throwing, then Tanaka could move closer to surgery. Since most pitchers need 12-15 months to recover, surgery could mean that Tanaka misses all of 2015 as well.

This news is huge for the Yankees, who have four of the five starting pitchers on their Opening Day roster on the disabled list -- including Tanaka. Two, Ivan Nova and CC Sabathia, are out for the season. If Tanaka can avoid surgery, then he could possibly rejoin the Yankees for the September stretch, possibly even late August.

Tanaka signed a seven-year, $133-million contract with the Yankees through 2020 after the Yankees paid the Rakuten Golden Eagles the $20 million posting fee. That means that Cashman has $153 million invested in the right-hander who was 24-0 with a 1.27 ERA for Rakuten in the Japan Nippan League in 2013.

Until his injury, that investment was paying off quite well. Tanaka was 12-4 with a 2.51 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and 3.9 WAR in 18 starts for the Yankees. He was in the running for the A.L. Rookie of the Year, MVP and Cy Young awards with the possibility of becoming the first ever to win all three in the same year.

Would Tanaka have to start over? Manager Joe Girardi does not think so. King quotes Girardi describing his answer to the question. Said Girardi,

“I am not sure it’s starting all over because he has been built up, but it’s 60 feet, 90 feet, 120, flat ground, bullpen and rehab game.’’

The Yankees enter play on August 4 in third place in the A.L. East, five games behind the Baltimore Orioles and 1.5 games behind the second-place Toronto Blue Jays. They also trail Toronto for the second A.L. Wild Card position. Getting their best pitcher back would give the Yankees a major boost in the pennant stretch. That, however, depends on how well his throwing session goes. The Yankees and their fans hope for the best.