Kuroda Expect To Make Next Start

From Marc Carig:

Hiroki Kuroda had just finished a session on the exercise bike and a round of treatment. Sweat beads covered his brow. His left ankle and foot were naked. His gait had only a slight hitch.

The Yankees right-hander hasn’t been given a clean bill of health — manager Joe Girardi said he’ll need to see where he is in a few days — but he had the look of a pitcher who’ll be ready to take the mound for his next turn Wednesday in Atlanta.

X-rays were negative on Kuroda’s left ankle/foot, which got the worst of an encounter with a line drive off Daniel Murphy’s bat in Friday’s 9-1 victory over the Mets. Girardi yesterday described the injury as “some bruising on his heel.”

Good news. With the way the Yanks have been pitching recently the last thing they need is another injury, especially to a starter.