Hiroki Kuroda, baseball player, 2008-2014

Hiroki Kuroda

Born: 2/10/1975 in Osaka, Osaka, Japan

MLB Debut: 2008-04-04 | Final Game: 2014-09-25

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'1" | Weight: 205 lbs

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Biography

Hiroki Kuroda was a Japanese professional baseball pitcher who had a notable career in Major League Baseball from 2008 to 2014. Born in 1975, Kuroda made his MLB debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers, where he quickly established himself as a reliable starter known for his exceptional control and ability to keep hitters off balance. Over his six-season career, he compiled a record of 79-79 with a commendable earned run average (ERA) of 3.45, showcasing his effectiveness on the mound. Kuroda registered a total of 986 strikeouts, reflecting his skill in generating swings and misses while limiting damage from opposing hitters. Kuroda's journey to the Major Leagues was particularly significant as he was part of the wave of talented Japanese pitchers who transitioned to MLB, paving the way for future stars from Japan. His tenure in the league coincided with a competitive era of baseball, and he was known for his poise and tenacity, often delivering strong performances in high-pressure situations. After his time with the Dodgers, he continued his career with the New York Yankees, further solidifying his reputation as a dependable pitcher in the American League. Kuroda's contributions to baseball extended beyond the statistics, as he became a respected figure among teammates and fans, celebrated for his sportsmanship and dedication to the game.

Career Pitching Statistics

W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER HR BB SO ERA Pitcher PIV
79 79 212 211 6 5 0 1319.0 1254 505 129 292 986 3.45 0

Career ERA 3.45 vs. league average 4.04 across their career seasons — 14.7% better than league average.

Season-by-Season Pitching

Year Team Lg W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER BB SO ERA Lg ERA Pitcher PIV
2008 LAD NL 9 10 31 31 2 2 0 183.3 181 76 42 116 3.73 4.32 (+14%) -
2009 LAD NL 8 7 21 20 0 0 0 117.3 110 49 24 87 3.76 4.32 (+13%) -
2010 LAD NL 11 13 31 31 0 0 0 196.3 180 74 48 159 3.39 4.08 (+17%) -
2011 LAD NL 13 16 32 32 0 0 0 202.0 196 69 49 161 3.07 3.94 (+22%) -
2012 NYY AL 16 11 33 33 3 2 0 219.7 205 81 51 167 3.32 4.01 (+17%) -
2013 NYY AL 11 13 32 32 1 1 0 201.3 191 74 43 150 3.31 3.87 (+14%) -
2014 NYY AL 11 9 32 32 0 0 0 199.0 191 82 35 146 3.71 3.74 (+1%) -

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
212 209 7 21 1 0 0 3 0 13 72 0.100 0.153 0.105 0.258 -1852.2

Career AVG .100 vs. league average .257 across their career seasons — 60.9% below league average.

Career OBP .153 vs. league average .323 across their career seasons — 52.6% below league average.

Career SLG .105 vs. league average .403 across their career seasons — 73.9% below league average.

Career OPS 0.258 vs. league average 0.727 across their career seasons — 64.4% below league average.

Season-by-Season Batting

Year Team Lg G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG Lg AVG Lg OBP Lg SLG Lg OPS PIV
2008 LAD NL 31 54 2 8 1 0 0 2 0 5 16 0.148 .263 (-44%) .333 (-34%) .416 (-60%) .749 (-48%) -446.8
2009 LAD NL 21 28 1 4 0 0 0 0 0 2 11 0.143 — — — — 0.0
2010 LAD NL 31 55 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 21 0.036 .257 (-86%) .325 (-78%) .402 (-91%) .728 (-85%) -794.3
2011 LAD NL 32 61 2 7 0 0 0 1 0 4 20 0.115 .255 (-55%) .320 (-47%) .399 (-71%) .719 (-61%) -611.1
2012 NYY AL 33 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.000 — — — — 0.0
2013 NYY AL 32 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0.000 — — — — 0.0
2014 NYY AL 32 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.000 — — — — 0.0

Postseason Statistics

Playoff Career Batting

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
5 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0.000

Playoff Batting by Year

Year Round Team G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
2012 ALCS NYA 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
2012 ALDS1 NYA 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
2009 NLCS LAN 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
2008 NLCS LAN 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.000
2008 NLDS1 LAN 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0.000

Playoff Career Pitching

W L G GS SV IP H ER BB SO ERA
2 2 5 5 0 29.7 27 13 4 22 3.94

Playoff Pitching by Year

Year Round Team W L G GS SV IP H ER BB SO ERA
2012 ALCS NYA 0 1 1 1 0 7.7 5 3 0 11 3.52
2012 ALDS1 NYA 0 0 1 1 0 8.3 5 2 1 3 2.16
2009 NLCS LAN 0 1 1 1 0 1.3 6 6 0 1 40.50
2008 NLCS LAN 1 0 1 1 0 6.0 5 2 1 3 3.00
2008 NLDS1 LAN 1 0 1 1 0 6.3 6 0 2 4 0.00

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
P 212 211 90 183 7 13

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
2008 LAN P 31 31 18 38 2 2
2009 LAN P 21 20 8 12 1 0
2010 LAN P 31 31 8 25 3 0
2011 LAN P 32 32 15 36 0 5
2012 NYA P 33 33 11 31 0 3
2013 NYA P 32 32 12 25 0 3
2014 NYA P 32 32 18 16 1 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Pitcher 212

Salary History

Year Team League Salary
2014 NYA AL $16,000,000
2013 NYA AL $15,000,000
2012 NYA AL $10,000,000
2011 LAN NL $11,765,724
2010 LAN NL $15,433,333
2009 LAN NL $12,433,333
2008 LAN NL $7,433,333
Total Career Earnings $88,065,723