Yankees said to be interested in Kuroda

The Dodgers continue to indicate that coveted pitcher Hiroki Kuroda isn't available, but that very well could change by Sunday's 4 p.m. non-waivers trade deadline -- for a price.

The Yankees remain interested in Kuroda, one official said Thursday, but the official added: "There's no evidence that he is going to waive the no-trade."

But a person familiar with Kuroda's thinking said the 36-year-old righthander was considering waiving the no-trade clause. One possibility, not without precedent, would be providing Kuroda extra compensation for doing so.

Roy Oswalt picked up an extra $1 million to waive his no-trade clause last year before Houston sent him to Philadelphia. Eric Gagne received $2.5 million for waiving his clause, paving the way for his 2007 trade to Boston from Texas.

Kuroda, who lowered his ERA to 3.11 by holding the Rockies to one run in six innings but still took the loss to fall to 6-13 Wednesday, is said to like the Los Angeles area, which has a large Japanese community. Kuroda signed a one-year, $12-million contract last offseason with the Dodgers, for whom he has pitched the last four seasons.

It is not known what kind of package it would take to acquire Kuroda because the Dodgers have told the Yankees and other teams -- including the Red Sox and Tigers -- that there's little point in exchanging proposals until he makes a decision.

The Yankees remain in touch with the Rockies concerning Ubaldo Jimenez, but although suspicion lurks that Jimenez will be dealt, the Rockies have yet to drop their price.

Far from the pitcher he was last season -- when he went 19-8 with a 2.88 ERA -- Jimenez is 6-9, 4.20. "I don't think they're going to move him," one baseball official said. "They're valuing him like he's Felix Hernandez or Roy Halladay, and he's not that."

The Rockies have asked for three of the Yankees' top prospects -- catcher Jesus Montero and pitchers Manny Banuelos and Dellin Betances -- as well as pitcher Ivan Nova, a price they're unwilling to pay for a pitcher with several questions surrounding him.

Chief among them is why the Rockies are even entertaining the thought of trading a 27-year-old with such a team-friendly contract. Jimenez is due $2.8 million this season, then $4.2 million next year. The contract has a $5.75-million club option in 2013 (with a $1-million buyout) and an $8-million club option in 2014.