Update on Kuroda

If you weren't watching the Yankees 7-4 loss to the Red Sox tonight, Hiroki Kuroda had to leave the game after being hit on the middle finger of his pitching hand on a liner back to the mound. Luckily, he's OK. Here's the update via Bryan Hoch and Sweeny Murti:

Yankees Resign Kuroda

From Anthony DiComo:

Hiroki Kuroda will be back with the Yankees next season on a one-year contract. The Yankees did not release details, but ESPN's Buster Olney reported the deal to be worth $15 million, plus incentives of less than $1 million.

...

Though Kuroda recently rejected the Yankees' one-year, $13 million qualifying offer, it was widely assumed that he was still interested in a one-year deal. He was also reportedly considering a return to Los Angeles, where he played from 2008 to 2011 with the Dodgers, or Japan, where he broke into professional baseball with the Hiroshima Carp in 1997.

"I am very happy and excited to re-sign with the Yankees," said Kuroda. "I am very grateful for all of the interest and all of the offers that I received from the various teams that courted me. It was a tough decision for me to make, but at the end of the day, I wanted to try to win a championship with the teammates that I went to battle with last season."

Nice!

Stark: It's Yankees or Japan For Kuroda

From Jayson Stark:

If free-agent right-hander Hiroki Kuroda pitches in the United States next season, it apparently will be for the New York Yankees.

The Yankees are now "very confident" they're going to sign the 37-year-old Kuroda, and believe he will either pitch for them or return to Japan, say agents and clubs that have spoken with them. Meanwhile, other teams that have been reported as having interest in Kuroda -- particularly the Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angeles Angels -- appear to have shifted their focus elsewhere.

...

It's still possible, however, that Kuroda could return to Japan. He has said several times he wants to finish his career there, but hasn't said when.

Hopefully this is not just an empty rumor because it's is great news. They need Kuroda if they're going to compete with the rapidly improving AL East.

Kuroda On Red Sox Radar

Regardless of this rumor, I think the Yankees should do everything they can to make sure Kuroda is back next year.

Yankees Leaning Towards Pettitte in Game 2, Kuroda in Game 3

From Mark Hale:

The Yankees certainly can start Kuroda, who has been their No. 2 starter this season. But now they also have the option of starting Pettitte in Game 2 on seven days’ rest and moving Kuroda to Game 3 on Wednesday. That would allow Kuroda (16-11, 3.32 ERA) to pitch on two extra days’ rest, which seemingly would be beneficial to the right-hander.

Girardi said a Game 3 start for Kuroda is a strong possibility.

“That’s something that we’re going to have to talk about. Absolutely,” he said. “[Kuroda] had an unbelievable season, and that’s something we’ll definitely consider.”

...

“I’m going to respect any decisions that Joe makes,” Kuroda said of potentially being pushed to Game 3.

Another factor that could influence Girardi’s Game 2 decision is because CC Sabathia will pitch in Game 1, do the Yankees want their two lefty starters to pitch on consecutive days? As for home-road splits, Kuroda and Pettitte have been far better in The Bronx this season (Games 3-5 will be at the Stadium). Kuroda has a 2.72 ERA at home versus a 4.23 one on the road, while Pettitte owns a 1.85 ERA at home and a 4.26 one away.

I like the plan. Kuroda has been better at home all season, and he could use the extra couple days rest after throwing a career high number of innings.

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.

Kuroda Worried About His Stadium Opening Start

From Andrew Marchand:

Hiroki Kuroda has never played in Yankee Stadium. So when he throws the first home pitch for the Yankees a little after 1 p.m. on Friday, he will have more nerves than anything else.

"Rather than being excited, I'm more worried about how I'm going to perform," Kuroda said through his interpreter.

...

"Since I've never pitched at Yankee Stadium, I'm a little bit pre-occupied," Kuroda said. "I just have to do my best."

Kuroda added that he's "honored" to be getting the ball in the home opener.

Is it just me or do you also hate hearing Yankees admit they're worried?

Kuroda Inked to One-Year Deal

And with that, a potential weakness becomes a clear-cut strength:

01. Sabathia
02. Pineda
03. Kuroda
04. Nova
05. Garcia/Burnett/Hughes

I will do my best to touch on both Kuroda and Pineda sometime this weekend. For the time being, suffice it to say that I am a big fan of this signing ... and that I'm decidedly torn on the Montero-Pineda swap. Though, I believe it should be said that five years of a young pitcher with ace-potential seems like a solid return for Montero - particularly when Jose Campos has a ridiculous ceiling, to boot.

Follow me on Twitter - @DomenicLanza

Rosenthal: Yankees Could Put Waiver Claim on Hiroki Kuroda

As per Rosenthal's Twitter:

Dodgers put Kuroda on waivers. Rival exec: "I guarantee Yankees are all over it." Kuroda owed about $2.7M. Lilly not yet on waivers. MLB

This is obviously a rumor, and a rumor in its infancy at that - but it did pique my interest. While Kuroda has struggled to stay healthy, he's been quite effective while toeing the mound. Take a look at his career numbers:

448 IP, 435 H, 104 BB, 321 K, 3.66 ERA, 3.53 FIP, 3.77 xFIP, 51.2% GB%

Perhaps more importantly, he doesn't appear to be a product of pitcher-friendly Dodgers Stadium, posting a 3.64 ERA, 3.74 FIP, 3.99 xFIP, and 2.75 K/BB on the road. And, for what it's worth, he's in the midst of the best season of his short career - and he's been better on the road then at home.

While the waiver system is incredibly complex, the Yankees could very well be the only team capable of absorbing Kuroda's salary at this juncture - and with the Dodgers on the verge of blowing up their team, other teams may not want to risk placing a claim on Kuroda as a blocking maneuver.

Kuroda is a free agent at year's end and, while I cannot substantiate this, I'll pass on that I've heard that he's expected to return to Japan at year's end (though he is expected to be a Type B free agent). If the price is right, I think that this could be a fantastic move.