Hiroki Kuroda Inducted Into Japanese Baseball Hall Of Fame

After his final season with the Yankees, Kuroda returned to Japan and pitched two more seasons at age 40 and 41.

In his age 40 season, Kuroda posted a 2.55 ERA in 169.2 innings, and he finished off his final season in professional baseball in 2016 with a 3.09 ERA in 151.2 innings.

A picture of consistency, Kuroda pitched 20 years and held a 3.51 ERA across his career, throwing 3,354.1 innings.

In his 13 seasons in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), he pitched to a 3.55 ERA, while in his seven Major League seasons, he owns a 3.45 ERA.

In addition to his regular season success, Kuroda was solid throughout his playoff career. He made five starts in the postseason and gave up three runs or fewer in five of them.

However, in the 2009 National League Championship against the Philadelphia Phillies, he allowed six runs in just 1.1 innings, which spikes his career postseason ERA to 3.94 in 29.2 innings.

Dodgers congratulate Hiroki Kuroda on Hall of Fame induction

After Kuroda was named to the Japanese Hall of Fame, the Dodgers shared a congratulatory message to the right-hander.

“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.”