(SportsNetwork.com) – Free agent pitcher Hiroki Kuroda will return to his
native Japan and play for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp for the 2015 season,
according to a report by Yahoo! Japan.
Kuroda, who spent the last three seasons with the New York Yankees, previously
pitched for the Toyo Carp from 1997-2007 before embarking on a seven-year
tenure in the majors that began with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The 39-year-old won the Nippon Professional Baseball ERA title in 2006 and
received a Best Nine Award, recognizing the NPB’s best player at his position,
the previous year.
Kuroda compiled a 79-79 record and a 3.45 ERA over seven seasons with the
Dodgers and Yankees, winning a career-best 16 games in his first year with New
York in 2012. He started at least 31 games six times during his time in North
America.
The veteran right-hander went 11-9 with a 3.71 ERA in 32 starts with the
Yankees last season.
The Yankees had already prepared for Kuroda’s possible departure or retirement
during this offseason, filling rotation spots by re-signing Chris Capuano and
acquiring Nathan Eovaldi in a recent trade with Miami.
