Houston, Dec 29 (IANS/EFE) Japanese star pitcher Hiroki Kuroda is leaving Major League Baseball (MLB) and returning to his native country, where he will play for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp.
The 39-year-old right-hander is returning to the team he played for from 1997 to 2007.
Kuroda signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers before the 2008 season, playing for the National League team for four seasons.
The pitcher then signed with the New York Yankees.
Kuroda had a record of 11-9 with a 3.71 ERA (Earned Run Average) in 32 appearances with the Yankees last season.
Kuroda, who earned $16 million in the 2014 season, spent seven years in the Major Leagues, finishing with a record of 79-79 with a 3.45 ERA and 986 strikeouts in 1,319 innings pitched.
--IANS/EFE
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