Bomber Bites: What the Yankees Will Miss About Hiroki Kuroda

Yesterday, Hiroki Kuroda finally announced his intentions to play back in his home of Japan for the Hiroshima Karp. I think the Yankees knew of this decision for a while, which led to the acquisition of Nathan Eovaldi to cover themselves in the rotation. Even though I wrote about some of the pitfalls of Kuroda, there are things the Yankees will miss.

Even though his numbers were in decline, Kuroda was a guy who the Yankees could count on every fifth day. When everyone was either getting hurt or suspended last season, Kuroda did his usual thing. He made over 30 starts for the fifth consecutive season.

When Kuroda started, you felt as if the Yankees were going to be in that game. You knew you would get a solid effort, and with all the question marks in the rotation, the Yankees don’t really have that right now.

Kuroda was just a guy who knew how to pitch and knew what he was doing on the mound.

For the Yankees, they hope lefties CC Sabathia and Chris Capuano can be that veteran presence that Kuroda had. Can they help guide guys like Masahiro Tanaka and Eovaldi as they continue to develop?

I wouldn’t have brought back Kuroda, and there are no reports of the Yankees even making an offer to him. As I have said, it’s better to get rid of a guy a year too early than a year too late.

It doesn’t mean that they wont miss him though.