The New York Yankees have reportedly made free-agent right-hander Hiroki Kuroda a one-year contract offer worth $12 million. General manager Brian Cashman and the Yankees apparently were not reading when I wrote recently that Kuroda did not appear to be a fit for the Yankees rotation.
Kuroda is a 36-year-old who compiled a 41-46 record in four seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers after coming over from Japan. He was 13-16 with a 3.07 ERA in 202 innings pitched last season.
Kuroda had previously expressed a desire to stay in Los Angeles, or at least on the West Coast. The Dodgers, though, do not want Kuroda back and he has expressed willingness to pitch on the East Coast.
Kuroda would join a rotation of CC Sabathia, Ivan Nova, A.J. Burnett, Phil Hughes and Freddy Garcia if he signs with the Yankees. There is also still speculation that the Yankees will be among the bidders for Japanese right-hander Yu Darvish, who announced Thursday that he will be posted to the big leagues.