Hiroki Kuroda remains a Los Angeles Dodger
Hiroki Kuroda has decided to return to the Los Angeles Dodgers next season. According to the Associated Press, the Japanese pitcher signed a fresh one-year deal worth $12m.
Kuroda became a free agent after his three-year, $35.3m deal expired at the end of the 2010 season.
Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti said Kuroda insisted on a one-year deal although the National League club wanted to extend his new contract to another season.
Other Major League clubs that hoped to sign the 35-year-old Kuroda were the Colorado Rockies and the New York Yankees. Kuroda posted an 11-13 record with a 3.39 ERA in 31 starts in the majors this past
season
Kuroda's decision to re-sign with the Dodgers also ended speculations that the veteran hurler will return to Japan next season. Nippon Professional Baseball clubs Hiroshima Carp, Kuroda's former team,
and the Yomiuri Giants, were among the clubs that expressed interest in signing up the pitcher.
Kuroda spent his entire professional career in Japan with the Carp, where he played from 1997 to 2007.
He led the NPB in wins in 2005 and was the league's ERA champion the following year. Kuroda also won the NPB’s Best Nine Award and Golden Glove Award in 2005.
He signed with the Dodgers in December 2007, choosing the club over the Seattle Mariners, Kansas City Royals and Arizona Diamondbacks.
Kuroda made his first MLB start against the San Diego Padres on April 4, 2008, holding them to one run in seven innings to earn his first win.
Kuroda was a member of the Japanese team that won the bronze medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics. He was also selected to be part of the national team to the inaugural World Baseball Classic in 2006 but
later withdrew from the squad after sustaining an injury during a practice game.
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