Daisuke Matsuzaka is headed home. (Kyle Terada-US PRESSWIRE)
Free-agent pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka is headed back to his native Japan after spending eight years in the major leagues.
The 34-year-old Matsuzaka reached a contract agreement with the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks, the current Japanese League champions, according to the Japan Times.
Matsuzaka’s best years in America came immediately after he signed a $51 million contract with the Boston Red Sox.
In his first season in 2007, Matsuzaka started 32 games and posted a 15-12 record. He improved to 18-3 in 2008 with a 2.90 ERA and then started to go backward.
Matsuzaka moved over to the New York Mets in 2013 and spent two seasons in New York. In 2014, he showed some signs of recapturing his form, pitching in 34 games and posting a 3-1 record with a 3.89 ERA.
In eight major league seasons, Matsuzaka logged a 56-43 record with one save and a 4.48 ERA. He issued 387 walks and had 720 strikeouts in 790 1/3 innings.
