Starter Hiroki Kuroda Unsure If He'll Be Back With Yankees In 2014
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Mariano Rivera and Andy Pettitte will not be part of the Yankees' pitching staff in 2014.
That much we know.
Hiroki Kuroda might not be in the Bronx, either.
When asked about his feelings regarding next season, the free-agent starter admitted that he's not sure where he'll be next Opening Day. And he didn't exactly give off the impression that he's dying to return.
"Right now I'm not thinking about it, and to be honest, I can't think about it right now," the 38-year-old said on Monday, according to the New York Post. "At this stage, I'm not really thinking about it."
According to CBSSports.com/WFAN baseball insider Jon Heyman, the right-hander would like to finish his career in his native Japan.
He could also sign with the Dodgers, with whom he played for from 2008-20011, according to Heyman.
Kuroda was brilliant for much of the season, pitching like an American League Cy Young Award candidate up until August. He struggled mightily in his final eight starts, however, going 0-6 with a 6.56 ERA.
He finished the season 11-13 with a 3.31 ERA, striking out 150 and walking 43 in 201 1/3 innings.
"I'm sure we all wanted to get to the playoffs, so in that sense I'm disappointed," Kuroda said, according to the newspaper. "Overall, I thought it was a good season for me, but the latter half of the season where I didn't contribute, I feel pretty bad about."
CC Sabathia and Ivan Nova, both under contract, will be in New York's rotation next year. But after that there are three question marks.
Phil Hughes, who had a brutal season for New York in the final year of his contract, is unlikely to be back next year.
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