It turns out all the speculation of whether or not Hiroki Kuroda would be traded was all for naught. The right-hander informed the Dodgers Saturday afternoon that he would remain with the team for the remainder of the season. Kuroda had a no-trade clause, but it is unclear whether or not the Dodgers had agreed to any type of a trade involving the pitcher. The club was rumored to be working on potential trades with the Rangers, Red Sox, and Yankees.
Kuroda said he felt a sense of commitment to the Dodgers and his teammates, and said this was not an easy decision. "I, like any player here, would like to win and I know how it feels to pitch in the playoffs. I know how exciting that can be, so I had to really fight to come to this conclusion," Kuroda said through interpreter Kenji Namura before Saturday's game with Arizona.
"In a way it's refreshing. He made a commitment to stay here, and he wanted to fulfill that commitment. It's certainly not something you'd shake your head against," said general manager Ned Colletti, who also said that he would welcome Kuroda back in 2012 if he wanted to return. Kuroda has not yet decided to pitch again in the United States next year or return to his home in Japan.
For more news and information on Hiroki Kuroda and the Dodgers, be sure to read True Blue LA.