MLB

Yankees’ Kuroda shelled in alarming spring start

TAMPA — Is this just a spring thing or the coming winter of a career in decline?

One thing is certain: This was a rough day for the Yankees other Japanese starting pitcher.

Hiroki Kuroda, who staggered down the stretch in 2013, was roughed up Wednesday by the Tigers at George M. Steinbrenner Field.

Kuroda could not keep his pitches down in the zone and the Tigers did not miss, ripping 10 hits and scoring six runs against Kuroda over 3 ²/₃ innings. The game ended in a 7-7 tie after 10 innings.

This comes on the heels of CC Sabathia’s poor outing against the Nationals on Tuesday. It’s only mid-March, so for now, the calendar is on the Yankees’ side when it comes to these two vital veteran pitchers.

“The arm speed is there,’’ manager Joe Girardi said of Kuroda. “Here’s a guy who has been around a long time. I don’t make too much of spring training games.’’

In the first, Kuroda surrendered four runs on six hits and only got out of the inning when center fielder Mason Williams threw out Nick Castellanos at home on Bryan Holaday’s single.

While Masahiro Tanaka has been the darling of camp, Kuroda showed on Wednesday he has a long way to go this spring. His line was not pretty, 3 ²/₃ innings, 10 hits, six runs, all earned, and only one strikeout.

Kuroda was 1-7 over the final two months of the season. His ERA in September was 5.70.

“He was off with his off-speed stuff, which is really not that unusual this time of year,’’ Girardi noted. “Because of the way he finished [last season] people are going to question what we are going to have this year. I do feel good about him. I do think he ran out of a little gas [last season], but I think he is going to have another good year this year.’’

Kuroda’s fastball was down a tick, according to scouts at the game, as he sat at 89-90 mph and he couldn’t get the ball down. It all added up to batting practice for the Tigers.
Kuroda, 39, said he didn’t feel mechanically sound.

“The location wasn’t there,’’ Kuroda said. “My pitches were up in the zone, especially my breaking balls. My slider was not sharp. At this phase of spring training it’s not easy to be 100 percent. All my pitches weren’t sharp.’’

As for last year’s second half woes, Kuroda dismissed them, saying: “I hadn’t thought about that. My velocity is pretty good, this is just a matter of small changes mechanically.’’

Francisco Cervelli, who is having a blazing spring, hit two home runs and now has three on the spring and is hitting .500 as his trade value continues to rise.

“In the bullpen he was a little uncomfortable,’’ Cervelli said of Kuroda. “Anything he threw today, they hit. Today was a day it wasn’t there.’’

Kuroda needs to make the adjustments to get back to the pitcher he was the first half of last season when he posted a 7-3 record with a 2.35 ERA. The second half he was 4-10 with a 4.05 ERA. He simply ran out of gas.

“I was rushing a little bit and the hitters took advantage of me,’’ Kuroda said.

Earlier in the day, Sabathia noted he was rushing through his delivery on Tuesday as well and will try to correct that flaw before his next start.

It’s vital both these veterans get their timing right on their deliveries. That’s what spring training is all about.

“This time of year they are trying to find a feel,’’ Girardi said. Having spent his career as a catcher, he knows what the pitching quest of spring training is all about. “His stuff wasn’t sharp today and that’s why he got hit.’’

Kuroda has time to get sharp, but the clock continues to tick away.