The Hisashi Iwakuma vs. Hiroki Kuroda Comparison That Could Help the Yankees in 2016

The Major League Baseball postseason is still in full motion as we sprint towards the World Series in a classic “hurry up and wait” type situation. I say that because the ALCS and NLCS series look unlikely to go deep into the month of October with seven game series looking less and less likely. We’re all in a hurry to get to the World Series so we can sit by our window looking out it with sadness across our faces while we wait for Spring Training 2016. The good news for the MLB fan, and especially for the Yankees fans until recently, is you have the Hot Stove and free agency markets to keep you busy and occupied until then. New York has never shied away from reloading and retooling via free agency, although the team is trying to be smarter about it these days, and that mindset may lead them to a man that reminds me a lot of a former Yankee Hiroki Kuroda, Hisashi Iwakuma.

The comparisons only begin at the fact that both are Japanese-born players that have made their way over to the United States to play in the Major Leagues. Both are veteran right-handed starting pitchers that have expressed an interest in staying out on the West Coast to stay closer to their native Japan, could both be lured East for significant salary on a one-year or two-year deal? If you’re looking at the stats and the current status of the Yankees starting rotation you would certainly hope so.

Here are Iwakuma’s stats thus far in the Major Leagues with the Seattle Mariners:

Year	W	L	ERA	G	CG	SHO	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO	ERA+	FIP	WHIP	H9	HR9	BB9	SO9
2012	9	5	3.16	30	0	0	125.1	117	49	44	17	43	101	121	4.35	1.277	8.4	1.2	3.1	7.3
2013 ★	14	6	2.66	33	0	0	219.2	179	69	65	25	42	185	138	3.44	1.006	7.3	1.0	1.7	7.6
2014	15	9	3.52	28	0	0	179.0	167	70	70	20	21	154	103	3.25	1.050	8.4	1.0	1.1	7.7
2015	9	5	3.54	20	1	1	129.2	117	53	51	18	21	111	107	3.74	1.064	8.1	1.2	1.5	7.7

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table

And here are Kuroda’s stats, specifically with the Yankees:

Year	W	L	ERA	G	CG	SHO	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO	ERA+	FIP	WHIP	H9	HR9	BB9	SO9
2012	16	11	3.32	33	3	2	219.2	205	86	81	25	51	167	127	3.86	1.165	8.4	1.0	2.1	6.8
2013	11	13	3.31	32	1	1	201.1	191	79	74	20	43	150	121	3.56	1.162	8.5	0.9	1.9	6.7
2014	11	9	3.71	32	0	0	199.0	191	91	82	20	35	146	104	3.60	1.136	8.6	0.9	1.6	6.6

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table

Iwakuma would give the Yankees another top of the rotation type starter, maybe not an ace but definitely a solid #2 or great #3, adding to Masahiro Tanaka, Michael Pineda, Nathan Eovaldi and Luis Severino. Iwakuma would likely come attached to a qualifying offer and draft pick compensation but many of the great starters, besides David Price and Johnny Cueto who were traded mid-season and are ineligible, will be this winter so it’s six of one and a half dozen of the other. Iwakuma gives the Yankees a substantial upgrade in the starting rotation without sacrificing the future in long-term contracts and in potential trades on the trade market.

Iwakuma makes perfect sense for the Yankees, will Brian Cashman once again get his man?