Hiroki Kuroda
Encyclopedia
is a professional baseball player from Osaka
, Japan
who is currently a free agent. He is a starting pitcher, who most recently pitched for the Los Angeles Dodgers
(2008–2011).
in Tokyo.
in 1996 as a second-round draft pick. During his early career, he was overshadowed by the 1996 first-round draft pick, Toshikazu Sawazaki, who was the same age as Kuroda and won the Japanese Rookie of the Year award in 1997. However, Kuroda gradually built up his status to become a consistent part of the starting rotation while Sawazaki began to fade away. In 1999 he pitched in the International Cup
held in Sydney
, and marked a win against Korea
and a complete-game shutout against Taiwan
.
Kuroda won over 10 games for three consecutive years from 2001. In 2003 he became the opening-day starter, taking over for former ace Shinji Sasaoka. He pitched poorly at the beginning of the season, but improved after the all-star break to end the season with 13 wins. He marked two wins as a reliever in the 2004 Summer Olympics
, contributing to the Japanese team's bronze medal. In 2005 he led the Central League
with 15 wins, and won the Best Nine Award
and the Golden Glove
. He continued his success in 2006, ending the season with a league-leading 1.85 ERA to solidify his reputation as one of the best pitchers in Japan. The last Japanese starter to end the season with an ERA below 2.00 was Masaki Saito in 1989. He also made his first save that year on October 16 against the Chunichi Dragons
, and led the league in complete games over a six-year period from 1999-2005.
In 2006, he was one of two players from the Hiroshima Toyo Carp selected to play in the 2006 World Baseball Classic
, along with Takahiro Arai
. He was touted as one of the obscure but key players on the Japanese team along with current MLB players Akinori Iwamura
and Kosuke Fukudome
, but was injured getting hit by a baseball off the bat to the right hand during a practice game on February 24, forcing him to withdraw from the competition.
He became a free agent
as early as May, 2006, but announced that he would remain with the Carp for the 2007 season. During the off-season, he traveled to the United States to receive cleaning surgery in his right elbow at the suggestion of manager Marty Brown.
Kuroda pitched as the team's opening-day starter for the 5th consecutive year in 2007. He marked his 100th career win on July 14, 2007 against the Yomiuri Giants
at the Tokyo Dome (his first professional win was also at the Tokyo Dome). Though Kuroda had been most effective during the summer in past years, he struggled to make quality starts during the later half of the season, perhaps due to the surgery he had received during the off-season. He ended what is likely to be his final year in Japan with a rather disappointing 12-8 record, with a 3.56 ERA.
Along with Shinobu Fukuhara
, Daisuke Miura
, and Shingo Ono
, Kuroda was known for receiving very poor run support in Japan. In 2005, he was the starter for a 12 inning pitching relay in a game that ended in a 0-0 tie (April 15 against the Yokohama BayStars
; the opposing starter was Daisuke Miura). In 2006 against the Hanshin Tigers
, he left the game with a 2-1 lead after pitching 8 innings, but failed to get the win when closer Katsuhiro Nagakawa
let up a tying home run with two outs in the 9th inning. He was also recognized as a "Giants Killer," as he seemed to pitch exceptionally well against the Yomiuri Giants.
His fastball has reached 97 mph (156 km/h) and he throws a splitter
that sits in the mid to high 80s mph range, along with a slider
in the low to mid 80s mph range. In 2005, he added a Shuuto
(two-seamer/sinker) to his repertoire, which can reach mid 90s and make him become an effective ground ball pitcher. His hitting is below average for a pitcher, but he is a capable fielder.
's offers to reconsider staying on the team because he had already declared free agency). Numerous teams showed interest in Kuroda, including the Seibu Lions
and Hanshin Tigers, who had lost their key starters Daisuke Matsuzaka
and Kei Igawa
to the posting system
. The well-financed Fukuoka Softbank Hawks
aggressively pursued Kuroda, while the Chunichi Dragons and Yomiuri Giants, who had been in pursuit of free agent Michihiro Ogasawara
, were also thought to have interest.
Despite the team's anti-free agent policy, the Carp was facing serious problems with its weak pitching staff, which had kept them in the bottom half of the standings since 1997. The prospect of losing Kuroda, by far the most effective and consistent pitcher on the team, forced them into negotiations. On October 15, 2006, the team offered a 4-year, 1 billion yen deal with post-retirement benefits, showing that they were absolutely intent on retaining Kuroda. In terms of base salary, Kuroda had been paid 200 million yen in 2006, and this contract would only give a 50 million yen increase for 2007, with no further increases over the next three years. However, this was a major step-up for the Carp management considering that only two other players on the team (Tomonori Maeda
and Tomoaki Kanemoto) had ever been paid more than 200 million yen per year. On November 6, 2006, Kuroda agreed to a 4-year 1.2 billion yen deal (250 million yen base salary+bonuses) to remain in Hiroshima. This new contract included a provision that Kuroda would be able to negotiate with major league
teams as a free agent at any point during the 4-year deal. At the same time, Kuroda announced that he would play for no other Japanese teams besides the Hiroshima Toyo Carp. Although the deal ultimately concluded with a salary increase, Kuroda's negotiations showed a rare instance where free agency did not inflate salaries to ridiculous amounts.
Kuroda's response was received favorably by both the fans and the media, and in Kuroda's final start of the season, fans filled Hiroshima Municipal Stadium, old holding red cardboard cutouts of the number 15 (Kuroda's jersey number). However, Kuroda had repeatedly expressed a desire to win a championship, and there was a high possibility that he would leave for the major leagues if the team continued to play poorly. The team ended up struggling to escape from last place in the league throughout the season; far removed from the 3rd place finish that would have enabled the team to participate in the newly created Climax Series playoffs. Kuroda declared his intention to play in the major leagues next season on October 18, 2007. It was briefly rumored that he would use the posting system to move to the major leagues, giving the poorly-financed Hiroshima team some monetary benefits from the process, but he ended up declaring free agency, which enabled him to negotiate freely with any of the major league teams. The Texas Rangers
, Seattle Mariners
, Kansas City Royals
, Arizona Diamondbacks
, and Los Angeles Dodgers
showed varying degrees of interest in signing Kuroda, and he signed a three-year 35.3 million dollar contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers on December 12, 2007.
, holding them to 1 run and getting the first win of his American baseball career. Kuroda went 3-6 with an ERA of 4.04 before going on the DL with mild tendinitis.
Upon his return, he pitched seven shutout innings against the Houston Astros
. However, his next start was even more impressive. On July 7, 2008, Kuroda pitched seven perfect innings in a game against the Atlanta Braves
before allowing a double to Mark Teixeira
to lead off the eighth inning. Despite the double, he shutout the Braves on one hit with no walks over nine innings, Teixeira was the only baserunner Kuroda would allow in a 91-pitch complete game one-hit shutout. He became the first Dodger to throw a one-hitter since Derek Lowe
threw one against the Chicago Cubs
on August 31, 2005. He became the first rookie pitcher since Orel Hershiser
in 1984 to take a perfect game into the eighth inning.
On September 15, 2008, Kuroda was deprived of the opportunity to become the first Dodgers pitcher since Hideo Nomo to throw 3 complete game shutouts in a single season. After pitching 7 innings in which he allowed only 3 hits and no walks, Kuroda was taken out of the game, with an 8-0 lead, so that the Dodgers could give Brad Penny
and Takashi Saito
some live practice. The Dodgers would go on to win that game 8-2.
On October 4, 2008, Kuroda made his first postseason appearance in the major leagues as the starting pitcher for Game 3 of the Dodgers' first playoff series against the Chicago Cubs
, in which the Dodgers led two games to none. He gave a remarkable 6 1/3 shutout inning performance, winning the game and helping the Dodgers complete the sweep of the Cubs to advance to the next round National League Championship Series
. On October 12, 2008, Kuroda started Game 3 against the Philadelphia Phillies
in the 2008 NLCS
with the Dodgers down two games to none. He pitched effectively again, giving up two runs in six innings (plus three batters faced in the seventh inning), and went on to notch his second postseason victory.
Kuroda was named the Dodgers opening day starter in 2009 and picked up the win, allowing only one run in six innings. However, he suffered an injury during a bullpen session soon afterwards and did not rejoin the rotation until June 1.
On August 15, 2009 while pitching in the bottom of the 6th inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks
, Kuroda was hit on the side of his head by a line drive
off the bat of Rusty Ryal
. He had to be taken off the field on a stretcher and spent the night at the hospital. A CT scan was negative and he was released the next morning.
Despite missing much of the season while battling numerous injuries, Kuroda made 20 starts in 2009 and finished with a 8-7 record and 3.76 ERA. He was named the Game 3 starter in the NLCS against the Phillies even though he had missed the first round of the playoffs with a "bulging disk in his neck". However, he pitched poorly in the NLCS, failing to get out of the second inning and allowing six runs to score.
On August 30, 2010, Kuroda took a no-hitter into the 8th inning against the visiting Phillies; with one out, Shane Victorino
broke up the Dodger hurler's "no-no" with a line drive single to right field. Kuroda received a standing ovation from the home crowd.
In 2010, Kuroda made 31 starts for the Dodgers, finishing the season with a 11-13 record and 3.39 ERA. He had a career best 196.1 innings pitched and 159 strikeouts. He became a free agent at the conclusion of the season, but was re-signed by the Dodgers to a one-year $12 million contract.
On July 27, 2011 Kuroda lost to the Colorado Rockies
1-3, becoming the first Dodger starting pitcher to have two consecutive seasons of at least 13 losses since Orel Hershiser
in 1992
and 1993
.
There was speculation that Kuroda would be traded at the trading deadline in 2011, but he chose not to waive the "no trade clause" in his contract because he wanted to remain with the Dodgers for the rest of the season.
Kuroda finished the 2011 season with a 13-16 record, posting career highs in both wins and losses. His final ERA was 3.07, the best of his career and he struck out 161 batters on the season. He became a free agent at the end of the season.
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
who is currently a free agent. He is a starting pitcher, who most recently pitched for the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
(2008–2011).
Early days
Kuroda was born and lived in Osaka (Osaka-shi, Osaka-fu). His father, Kazuhiro Kuroda, was also a professional baseball player who played for the Nankai Hawks. He attended Uenomiya High School in Osaka and Senshu UniversitySenshu University
is a private university in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. Former "Senshu College" was founded in 1880, the first school in Japan comprising Economics and Law Departments to systematically offer a specialized educational curriculum in the Japanese language....
in Tokyo.
Nippon Professional Baseball career
He joined the Hiroshima Toyo CarpHiroshima Toyo Carp
The are a professional baseball team in Japan's Central League. The team is primarily owned by the Matsuda family, led by , who is a descendant of Mazda founder Jujiro Matsuda. Mazda is the largest single shareholder , which is less than the portion owned by the Matsuda family . Because of that,...
in 1996 as a second-round draft pick. During his early career, he was overshadowed by the 1996 first-round draft pick, Toshikazu Sawazaki, who was the same age as Kuroda and won the Japanese Rookie of the Year award in 1997. However, Kuroda gradually built up his status to become a consistent part of the starting rotation while Sawazaki began to fade away. In 1999 he pitched in the International Cup
Intercontinental Cup (baseball)
The Intercontinental Cup is a baseball tournament between the members of the International Baseball Federation . It was first held in 1973 in Italy, and was held every other year following until 1999....
held in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, and marked a win against Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
and a complete-game shutout against Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
.
Kuroda won over 10 games for three consecutive years from 2001. In 2003 he became the opening-day starter, taking over for former ace Shinji Sasaoka. He pitched poorly at the beginning of the season, but improved after the all-star break to end the season with 13 wins. He marked two wins as a reliever in the 2004 Summer Olympics
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
, contributing to the Japanese team's bronze medal. In 2005 he led the Central League
Central League
The or is one the two professional baseball leagues that constitute Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. The winner of the league championship plays against the winner of the Pacific League in the annual Japan Series. It currently consists of six teams from around the country,The Central League...
with 15 wins, and won the Best Nine Award
Best Nine Award
The Best Nine Award is awarded annually to the best player at each position in both the Central League and Pacific League of Japanese professional baseball as determined by a pool of journalists.-History:...
and the Golden Glove
Mitsui Golden Glove Award
The Mitsui Golden Glove Award, sponsored by Japan's Mitsui Group, is annually awarded to nine fielders in Japan's professional baseball leagues by the Nippon Professional Baseball Association. The players are selected based on votes by TV, radio, and newspaper journalists with over 5 years...
. He continued his success in 2006, ending the season with a league-leading 1.85 ERA to solidify his reputation as one of the best pitchers in Japan. The last Japanese starter to end the season with an ERA below 2.00 was Masaki Saito in 1989. He also made his first save that year on October 16 against the Chunichi Dragons
Chunichi Dragons
The are a professional baseball team based in Nagoya, the chief city in the Chubu region of Japan. The team is in the Central League. They won the 2007 Japan Series and 2007 Asia Series.-History:...
, and led the league in complete games over a six-year period from 1999-2005.
In 2006, he was one of two players from the Hiroshima Toyo Carp selected to play in the 2006 World Baseball Classic
2006 World Baseball Classic
---------Pool B:-------------Pool C:-------------Pool D:-------------Pool 1:-----------------Pool 2:-------------Finals:-Semifinals:-Final:-Final standings:...
, along with Takahiro Arai
Takahiro Arai
Takahiro Arai is a Japanese professional baseball player of Korean descent for the Hanshin Tigers in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball.-External links:...
. He was touted as one of the obscure but key players on the Japanese team along with current MLB players Akinori Iwamura
Akinori Iwamura
Akinori Iwamura is a Japanese Major League Baseball infielder, who is currently with the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles of the Japanese Pacific League...
and Kosuke Fukudome
Kosuke Fukudome
is a Japanese professional baseball outfielder.Prior to arriving in the United States, Fukudome played nine seasons for the Chunichi Dragons of the Japanese Central League...
, but was injured getting hit by a baseball off the bat to the right hand during a practice game on February 24, forcing him to withdraw from the competition.
He became a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
as early as May, 2006, but announced that he would remain with the Carp for the 2007 season. During the off-season, he traveled to the United States to receive cleaning surgery in his right elbow at the suggestion of manager Marty Brown.
Kuroda pitched as the team's opening-day starter for the 5th consecutive year in 2007. He marked his 100th career win on July 14, 2007 against the Yomiuri Giants
Yomiuri Giants
The are a professional baseball team based in Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan. The team competes in the Central League in Nippon Professional Baseball, the top level of professional play in Japan. They play their home games in the Tokyo Dome, opened in 1988. The English-language press occasionally calls the...
at the Tokyo Dome (his first professional win was also at the Tokyo Dome). Though Kuroda had been most effective during the summer in past years, he struggled to make quality starts during the later half of the season, perhaps due to the surgery he had received during the off-season. He ended what is likely to be his final year in Japan with a rather disappointing 12-8 record, with a 3.56 ERA.
Along with Shinobu Fukuhara
Shinobu Fukuhara
is a Japanese baseball pitcher for the Hanshin Tigers. He was the number three draft pick for the Hanshin Tigers in 1999.-Career statistics :-External links:*...
, Daisuke Miura
Daisuke Miura
Daisuke Miura is a professional baseball player from Kashihara, Nara, Japan. He is a starting pitcher for the Yokohama BayStars....
, and Shingo Ono
Shingo Ono
is a Nippon Professional Baseball pitcher for the Chiba Lotte Marines in Japan's Pacific League.-External links:...
, Kuroda was known for receiving very poor run support in Japan. In 2005, he was the starter for a 12 inning pitching relay in a game that ended in a 0-0 tie (April 15 against the Yokohama BayStars
Yokohama BayStars
The are a professional baseball team in the Japanese Central League. Home field is the Yokohama Stadium, located in central Yokohama. The clubhouse is located near the stadium....
; the opposing starter was Daisuke Miura). In 2006 against the Hanshin Tigers
Hanshin Tigers
The are a Nippon Professional Baseball team based in Koshien, Nishinomiya, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, and are in the Central League. Hanshin Electric Railway Co., Ltd., the subsidiary of Hankyu Hanshin Holdings Inc., owns the Hanshin Tigers directly...
, he left the game with a 2-1 lead after pitching 8 innings, but failed to get the win when closer Katsuhiro Nagakawa
Katsuhiro Nagakawa
is a Nippon Professional Baseball pitcher for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp in Japan's Central League.-External links:...
let up a tying home run with two outs in the 9th inning. He was also recognized as a "Giants Killer," as he seemed to pitch exceptionally well against the Yomiuri Giants.
His fastball has reached 97 mph (156 km/h) and he throws a splitter
Split-finger fastball
A split-finger fastball or splitter is a pitch in baseball. It is named after the technique of putting the index and middle finger on different sides of the ball, or "splitting" them. When thrown hard, it appears to be a fastball to the batter, but suddenly "drops off the table" towards home...
that sits in the mid to high 80s mph range, along with a slider
Slider
In baseball, a slider is a pitch that breaks laterally and down, with a speed between that of a curveball and that of a fastball....
in the low to mid 80s mph range. In 2005, he added a Shuuto
Shuuto
The or shootball is a pitch commonly thrown by such right-handed Japanese pitchers such as Noboru Akiyama, Kenjiro Kawasaki, Daisuke Matsuzaka, and Masumi Kuwata...
(two-seamer/sinker) to his repertoire, which can reach mid 90s and make him become an effective ground ball pitcher. His hitting is below average for a pitcher, but he is a capable fielder.
Free agency
Kuroda obtained free agency on May 31, 2006, and announced that he was willing to hear offers from other teams. The Hiroshima Toyo Carp had a staunch policy against free agency because it would lead to higher salaries which the team would not be able to provide due to lack of financial structure. The team's management traditionally never attempted to re-negotiate with players of their own team who declared free agency (for example, the team ignored outfielder Tomoaki KanemotoTomoaki Kanemoto
is a Japanese professional baseball outfielder with the Hanshin Tigers in Nippon Professional Baseball.The Tigers' current cleanup hitter, Kanemoto is regarded as one of the most accomplished hitters in Japanese professional baseball history and has hit more home runs in his career than any other...
's offers to reconsider staying on the team because he had already declared free agency). Numerous teams showed interest in Kuroda, including the Seibu Lions
Seibu Lions
The are a professional baseball team in Japan's Pacific League based west of Tokyo in Tokorozawa, Saitama. Before 1979, they were based in Fukuoka in Kyushu. The team is owned by a subsidiary of Prince Hotels, which in turn is owned by the Seibu Group...
and Hanshin Tigers, who had lost their key starters Daisuke Matsuzaka
Daisuke Matsuzaka
is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball in the United States. He previously played for the Seibu Lions in Japan's Pacific League. He was selected the MVP of the inaugural and the second World Baseball Classic, and is an Olympic bronze...
and Kei Igawa
Kei Igawa
is a Japanese left-handed starting pitcher who is currently a free agent, originally from Ōarai, Ibaraki, Japan. He played for the Hanshin Tigers of Nippon Professional Baseball from to . He led all pitchers in the Central League for strikeouts in , and 2006...
to the posting system
Posting system
The is a baseball player transfer system that operates between Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball and the United States' Major League Baseball . Despite the drafting of the United States – Japanese Player Contract Agreement in 1967 designed to regulate NPB players moving to MLB, problems...
. The well-financed Fukuoka Softbank Hawks
Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks
The are a Japanese baseball team based in Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture. The team was bought on January 28, 2005 by the SoftBank Corporation.The team was formerly known as the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks. In 1988, Daiei bought the team from Osaka's Nankai Electric Railway Co., and its headquarters were...
aggressively pursued Kuroda, while the Chunichi Dragons and Yomiuri Giants, who had been in pursuit of free agent Michihiro Ogasawara
Michihiro Ogasawara
Michihiro Ogasawara is a Japanese professional baseball player. He currently plays first base for the Yomiuri Giants in Japan's Central League . He played with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters from to .-Career:Ogasawara is one of the most consistent hitters in Japanese baseball...
, were also thought to have interest.
Despite the team's anti-free agent policy, the Carp was facing serious problems with its weak pitching staff, which had kept them in the bottom half of the standings since 1997. The prospect of losing Kuroda, by far the most effective and consistent pitcher on the team, forced them into negotiations. On October 15, 2006, the team offered a 4-year, 1 billion yen deal with post-retirement benefits, showing that they were absolutely intent on retaining Kuroda. In terms of base salary, Kuroda had been paid 200 million yen in 2006, and this contract would only give a 50 million yen increase for 2007, with no further increases over the next three years. However, this was a major step-up for the Carp management considering that only two other players on the team (Tomonori Maeda
Tomonori Maeda
is a Nippon Professional Baseball player for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp in Japan's Central League.-External links:*...
and Tomoaki Kanemoto) had ever been paid more than 200 million yen per year. On November 6, 2006, Kuroda agreed to a 4-year 1.2 billion yen deal (250 million yen base salary+bonuses) to remain in Hiroshima. This new contract included a provision that Kuroda would be able to negotiate with major league
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
teams as a free agent at any point during the 4-year deal. At the same time, Kuroda announced that he would play for no other Japanese teams besides the Hiroshima Toyo Carp. Although the deal ultimately concluded with a salary increase, Kuroda's negotiations showed a rare instance where free agency did not inflate salaries to ridiculous amounts.
Kuroda's response was received favorably by both the fans and the media, and in Kuroda's final start of the season, fans filled Hiroshima Municipal Stadium, old holding red cardboard cutouts of the number 15 (Kuroda's jersey number). However, Kuroda had repeatedly expressed a desire to win a championship, and there was a high possibility that he would leave for the major leagues if the team continued to play poorly. The team ended up struggling to escape from last place in the league throughout the season; far removed from the 3rd place finish that would have enabled the team to participate in the newly created Climax Series playoffs. Kuroda declared his intention to play in the major leagues next season on October 18, 2007. It was briefly rumored that he would use the posting system to move to the major leagues, giving the poorly-financed Hiroshima team some monetary benefits from the process, but he ended up declaring free agency, which enabled him to negotiate freely with any of the major league teams. The Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
, Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
, Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
, Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
, and Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
showed varying degrees of interest in signing Kuroda, and he signed a three-year 35.3 million dollar contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers on December 12, 2007.
Los Angeles Dodgers
In his first start for the Dodgers, Kuroda pitched seven innings against the San Diego PadresSan Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
, holding them to 1 run and getting the first win of his American baseball career. Kuroda went 3-6 with an ERA of 4.04 before going on the DL with mild tendinitis.
Upon his return, he pitched seven shutout innings against the Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
. However, his next start was even more impressive. On July 7, 2008, Kuroda pitched seven perfect innings in a game against the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
before allowing a double to Mark Teixeira
Mark Teixeira
Mark Charles Teixeira , nicknamed "Tex" is an American Major League Baseball player for the New York Yankees. Mostly a first baseman, he has also played third base and in the outfield...
to lead off the eighth inning. Despite the double, he shutout the Braves on one hit with no walks over nine innings, Teixeira was the only baserunner Kuroda would allow in a 91-pitch complete game one-hit shutout. He became the first Dodger to throw a one-hitter since Derek Lowe
Derek Lowe
Derek Christopher Lowe is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Cleveland Indians. He throws and bats right-handed. He is 6'6" and 230 pounds.-Early years:...
threw one against the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
on August 31, 2005. He became the first rookie pitcher since Orel Hershiser
Orel Hershiser
Orel Leonard Hershiser IV is a former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball. He is currently an analyst for Baseball Tonight and Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN and a professional poker player for...
in 1984 to take a perfect game into the eighth inning.
On September 15, 2008, Kuroda was deprived of the opportunity to become the first Dodgers pitcher since Hideo Nomo to throw 3 complete game shutouts in a single season. After pitching 7 innings in which he allowed only 3 hits and no walks, Kuroda was taken out of the game, with an 8-0 lead, so that the Dodgers could give Brad Penny
Brad Penny
Bradley Wayne "Brad" Penny is a Major League starting pitcher. Penny has spent portions of his career with the Florida Marlins, Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox, San Francisco Giants, St. Louis Cardinals and Detroit Tigers....
and Takashi Saito
Takashi Saito
is a Japanese professional baseball player.Saito previously pitched for the Yokohama BayStars in the Japanese Central League, compiling a record of 87–80 over 13 seasons...
some live practice. The Dodgers would go on to win that game 8-2.
On October 4, 2008, Kuroda made his first postseason appearance in the major leagues as the starting pitcher for Game 3 of the Dodgers' first playoff series against the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
, in which the Dodgers led two games to none. He gave a remarkable 6 1/3 shutout inning performance, winning the game and helping the Dodgers complete the sweep of the Cubs to advance to the next round National League Championship Series
National League Championship Series
In Major League Baseball, the National League Championship Series is a round in the postseason that determines who wins the National League pennant and advances to Major League Baseball's championship, the World Series, facing the winner of the American League Championship Series. The reigning...
. On October 12, 2008, Kuroda started Game 3 against the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
in the 2008 NLCS
2008 National League Championship Series
-Game 1:Thursday, October 9, 2008 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaDerek Lowe and Cole Hamels faced each other at Citizens Bank Park for Game 1. In the first inning, Manny Ramírez missed a home run by mere feet to center field and settled for an RBI double to give LA a 1–0 lead,...
with the Dodgers down two games to none. He pitched effectively again, giving up two runs in six innings (plus three batters faced in the seventh inning), and went on to notch his second postseason victory.
Kuroda was named the Dodgers opening day starter in 2009 and picked up the win, allowing only one run in six innings. However, he suffered an injury during a bullpen session soon afterwards and did not rejoin the rotation until June 1.
On August 15, 2009 while pitching in the bottom of the 6th inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
, Kuroda was hit on the side of his head by a line drive
Line drive
In baseball, a line drive is a type of batted ball, sharply hit, and on a level trajectory. The threshold between a line drive and a fly ball can be subjective....
off the bat of Rusty Ryal
Rusty Ryal
Rusty Allen Ryal is an American professional baseball infielder for the Arizona Diamondbacks of Major League Baseball. He was picked by the Diamondbacks in the 14th round of the 2005 MLB Draft, Ryal played baseball at Oklahoma State University...
. He had to be taken off the field on a stretcher and spent the night at the hospital. A CT scan was negative and he was released the next morning.
Despite missing much of the season while battling numerous injuries, Kuroda made 20 starts in 2009 and finished with a 8-7 record and 3.76 ERA. He was named the Game 3 starter in the NLCS against the Phillies even though he had missed the first round of the playoffs with a "bulging disk in his neck". However, he pitched poorly in the NLCS, failing to get out of the second inning and allowing six runs to score.
On August 30, 2010, Kuroda took a no-hitter into the 8th inning against the visiting Phillies; with one out, Shane Victorino
Shane Victorino
Shane Patrick Victorino is an outfielder in Major League Baseball who plays for the Philadelphia Phillies. He is a switch-hitter and throws right-handed.-Career:...
broke up the Dodger hurler's "no-no" with a line drive single to right field. Kuroda received a standing ovation from the home crowd.
In 2010, Kuroda made 31 starts for the Dodgers, finishing the season with a 11-13 record and 3.39 ERA. He had a career best 196.1 innings pitched and 159 strikeouts. He became a free agent at the conclusion of the season, but was re-signed by the Dodgers to a one-year $12 million contract.
On July 27, 2011 Kuroda lost to the Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains...
1-3, becoming the first Dodger starting pitcher to have two consecutive seasons of at least 13 losses since Orel Hershiser
Orel Hershiser
Orel Leonard Hershiser IV is a former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball. He is currently an analyst for Baseball Tonight and Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN and a professional poker player for...
in 1992
1992 Los Angeles Dodgers season
The 1992 Los Angeles Dodgers season was a poor one for the team as it finished last in the Western Division of the National League with a record of 63 wins and 99 losses. Injuries to key players and slumps from others contributed to the franchise's worst season since moving to Los Angeles...
and 1993
1993 Los Angeles Dodgers season
The 1993 Dodgers improved on the dismal 1992 season finishing fourth in the Western Division of the National League. This was in part thanks to this years Rookie of the Year winner, catcher Mike Piazza. Piazza set rookie records with 35 home runs and 112 RBI...
.
There was speculation that Kuroda would be traded at the trading deadline in 2011, but he chose not to waive the "no trade clause" in his contract because he wanted to remain with the Dodgers for the rest of the season.
Kuroda finished the 2011 season with a 13-16 record, posting career highs in both wins and losses. His final ERA was 3.07, the best of his career and he struck out 161 batters on the season. He became a free agent at the end of the season.