LOS ANGELES, Dec. 20 (UPI) -- With questions surrounding nearly every member of their rotation, the Los Angeles Dodgers signed veteran Hideo Nomo to a two-year contract Thursday.
The righthander will join his fifth team in as many years.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Nomo made $4.5 million with the Boston Red Sox last season, when he pitched his second career no-hitter and led the American League in walks and strikeouts.
Nomo had his best success with Los Angeles in the mid-1990s, going 45-36 with a 3.51 ERA in 106 games. The Japanese sensation captured Rookie of the Year honors in 1995 and tossed a no-hitter at Coors Field on Sept. 17, 1996.
"We are very happy to have Hideo back with our ballclub," Los Angeles general manager Dan Evans said. "Hideo is a starting pitcher we have been exploring all winter. He's as durable a pitcher as there is in the game, a guy that will give us innings and strikeouts."
"I am very pleased to be back with the Dodgers," Nomo said. "I never thought I'd have an opportunity to return to the Dodgers, but I am very pleased to be back and have the fans come out and support me again."
The 33-year-old Nomo went 13-10 with a 4.50 ERA in 33 starts for Boston in 2001. He tossed a no-hitter April 4 against Baltimore.
Nomo joins a staff that was decimated by injuries last season and hit hard by free agency this offseason. Ace Kevin Brown, Andy Ashby and Darren Dreifort were sidelined by injuries while Terry Adams and Chan Ho Park are likely to leave via free agency.
Evans has begun to address the issue by acquiring Omar Daal and Nomo, a pair of former Dodgers.
"Hideo Nomo, Andy Ashby and Omar Daal behind Kevin Brown are all capable pitchers," Dodgers manager Jim Tracy said. "Hideo has pitched 388 innings over the past two seasons and struck out 401 guys, so he knows how to miss bats, he knows how to throw ground balls. He's a big addition to our pitching staff."
Nomo has a lifetime record of 82-71 with a 4.05 ERA in 216 games. He also has spent time with the New York Mets (1998), Milwaukee (1999) and Detroit (2000).
He recorded 500 career strikeouts (66 games) faster than any pitcher and was the third fastest to 1,000, trailing only Roger Clemens (143 games) and Dwight Gooden (145).
Nomo holds the destinction on becoming the first Japanese-born player to reach the major leagues after playing professionally in Japan.
