Larry Rothschild saw a first turn through the rotation in which only one pitcher, Ivan Nova, met expectations.
But no outing was as disconcerting as Hiroki Kuroda’s debut with the Yankees against the Rays last Saturday, and perhaps the pitching coach’s most important job in the immediate future is helping the right-hander succeed in his new surroundings.
“It was his first outing, so you don’t want to overreact to it,” Rothschild said of Kuroda’s performance against the Rays, when he surrendered six runs, four earned, in 5 2/3 innings of an 8-6 loss. “But you definitely have to react to what you need to get done.”
Anthony J. Causi
ADJUSTMENT TIME: Hiroki Kuroda said he is excited about pitching in the Yankees’ home opener today but is “more worried” about how he will perform.
Though panic hasn’t set in yet, it likely isn’t far away because there has been concern about how Kuroda would make the transition to the AL East from the Dodgers since he signed in January.
Kuroda will be tested again today. Not only will he have the spotlight of pitching in the home opener at Yankee Stadium, he also will be facing an Angels’ lineup that features Albert Pujols.
As Kuroda prepared for his first start in The Bronx, he wasn’t exactly brimming with confidence.
”I might be excited, but I am more worried about how I am going to perform,” Kuroda said through a translator. “It’s definitely an honor. I have to do the best I can.”
That will have to be better than last time. The control Kuroda displayed throughout the spring was absent at Tropicana Field, and he was unable to overcome adversity, like Eduardo Nunez’s error at shortstop to start the bottom of the first.
“He was trying to force pitches, especially the cutter, instead of trusting his stuff and letting it work for him,” Rothschild said. “He tried to do too much and take the game over by himself and when it didn’t work, he was searching for different answers.”
Those answers never came, and his task isn’t likely to get easier today against the Angels and Pujols. Nevertheless, Kuroda has had some success against Pujols, allowing just three hits in 15 at-bats, with a homer, a double and an RBI to go along with four strikeouts.
“That’s in the past and this is a new season,” Kuroda said. “I have to do my best to get him out.’’
Manager Joe Girardi said he thought Kuroda’s cutters were left too much over the plate against the Rays. If that happens again, Kuroda could be in for another long afternoon, particularly because he will be pitching at Yankee Stadium for the first time.
Kuroda said he knows how unforgiving the new Stadium can be to pitchers.
“I have heard of that,” Kuroda said. “I will try not to let it get to me. I signed with the Yankees and that’s all in the package.’’
“He just needs to relax,” Rothschild said. “Then he can go back to pitching the way he’s capable of.”
dan.martin@nypost.com
Hiroki Kuroda, Larry Rothschild, Rothschild, the Rays, Rays, Ivan Nova
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