Hiroki Kuroda hasn't played in the MLB since 2014 but he did extend his career in Japan playing for the Hiroshima Carp. The veteran pitcher spent time with the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees in a seven-year career. Now, 10 years after leaving the Majors, Kuroda is officially being placed into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame.
The announcement was made on Thursday. Shortly after being inducted into the Japanese Baseball HOF, the Dodgers congratulated Kuroda on social media. He certainly gained a ton of respect for Los Angeles for his efforts.
“The Los Angeles Dodgers congratulate former pitcher Hiroki Kuroda for being named to the 2024 class of the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame. Kuroda posted a 3.45 ERA and made 114 starts in four seasons with the Dodgers and was the winning pitcher in Game 3 of both the 2008 NLDS and the 2008 NLCS. Kuroda garnered tremendous respect in all corners of the Dodger clubhouse and went on to pitch three more seasons for the Yankees before returning to Japan and finishing his career with the Hiroshima Carp.”
Not only was he a solid pitcher for the Dodgers, but he's fondly remembered in New York as well. During his time with the Yankees, Kuroda finished with 3.44 ERA, 463 strikeouts, and a .535 winning percentage in three years. He proved to be a gem for this team during his tenure.
With that said, congratulations to Hiroki Kuroda for an illustrious career. He'll forever go down as one of the best Japanese baseball players to play the game.