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The Los Angeles Dodgers were rumored to be in the mix for free agent right hander Hiroki Kuroda, but a return to Dodger blue might not be in the cards, according to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports.
Sense among execs - and not just those with #Yankees - is that Kuroda will stay with Yanks or return to Japan. Other options less in play.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) November 19, 2012
The 37-year-old Kuroda spent four seasons with the Dodgers before signing with the New York Yankees as a free agent prior to the 2012 season. In 33 starts for the Yankees last season, Kuroda posted a 16-11 record and a 3.32 ERA in 219⅔ innings pitched.
Los Angeles Times Dodgers beat writer Dylan Hernandez countered Rosenthal's report with a quote from Kuroda.
Hiroki Kuroda on reports citing his anonymous friends: "I don't have any friends with whom I talked about that kind of stuff."
— Dylan Hernandez (@dylanohernandez) November 18, 2012
Hernandez added that the quote was from last week.
The Dodgers and Yankees are both in the market for free agent starting pitchers and Kuroda, an innings-eater, could be a low-risk, short-term option for the back end of either team's rotation.