Do The New York Yankees Need To Pay Extra For Hiroki Kuroda?

Sep 8, 2013; Bronx, NY, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher

(18) patches during the first inning against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports tweeted earlier today that he spoke to a GM who thought the Yankees will have to make Hiroki Kuroda an offer more than the qualifier of $14.1 because if they don’t, he may return to Japan and play for the Hiroshima Carp. Should the Yankees bother doing that though?

Look, there’s no question that without Hiroki Kuroda in the early part of the season, the New York Yankees wouldn’t have been a contending team. Kuroda went 8-6 in the first half of the season and probably should’ve won 12 games if the Yankees offense wasn’t so anemic.

Then the second half came and the bottom fell out. From August on, he only went 1-7. He gave up 51 runs in 61.2 innings. He will also turn 38 in January.

So you have to ask yourself, which Kuroda would the Yankees get if they retain Kuroda’s talents?  Would they get first half Kuroda or second half Kuroda? Kuroda made $15 million last season and is going to be another year older. Should the Yankees give him a raise?

I say split the difference. Offer him one year at $14.5 million. If he takes it, fine. If he doesn’t and returns to Japan, fine. Maybe you take some of that money and spend it on a guy like Bartolo Colon or Scott Feldman and take the remainder and put it toward a reliever or a couple of bench guys.

Kuroda is just one of the many decisions the Yankees will be making very soon.