Hiroki Kuroda targets World Series title
Veteran Japanese pitcher Hiroki Kuroda wants to win a World Series crown before he retires from the sport.
The 35-year-old, who recently signed a one-year contract extension with the Los Angeles Dodgers, said he wants to win Major League Baseball's most coveted award next year.
"I was really undecided whether I would play in Japan or in the States but frankly I had a strong feeling of wanting to take the challenge for another year here," Kuroda told
Kyodo News.
"I want to aim to be a world champion," added the Osaka native, who admitted that his decision to remain with the Dodgers was one of the most difficult choices he made in his life.
Kuroda received lucrative offers from other Major League clubs but turned them down as he wants to continue playing for Los Angeles.
"If the Dodgers needed me I was thinking about them first and foremost," he said.
The Dodgers initially offered Kuroda a multi-year deal after his three-year $35.3 million contract expired at the end of this past season. But the Japanese opted for a one-year contract, saying that it suits him better.
Kuroda posted an 11-13 record this season, which is the best in his Major League career.
"I like to challenge myself one year at a time so I don't have to worry about getting injured. I can play baseball to the fullest and aim for a minimum of double-digit wins," he said
He is also happy to be reunited with former Nippon Ham Fighters manager Trey Hillman, who recently joined the Dodgers as a bench coach.
"It will be good to have someone nearby who knows about Japanese baseball," Kuroda said.
Kuroda joined the Dodgers in 2008 after spending his entire professional career in Japan with the Hiroshima Carp. He has a Major League career record of 28-30 with a 3.60 ERA.
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