Daisuke Matsuzaka
Born: 9/13/1980 in Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
MLB Debut: 2007-04-05 | Final Game: 2014-09-25
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'0" | Weight: 205 lbs
Biography
Daisuke Matsuzaka, born in 1980, was a prominent Japanese pitcher who made a significant impact in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2007 to 2014. Renowned for his exceptional pitching skills and unique delivery, Matsuzaka quickly gained attention both in Japan and the United States. He was instrumental in the globalization of baseball, representing a new era of Japanese talent entering the MLB, following the footsteps of legends like Hideo Nomo.
Throughout his career, Matsuzaka compiled a record of 56-43 with an earned run average (ERA) of 4.45, showcasing his ability to strike out batters, totaling 720 strikeouts. He also recorded one save during his time in the league. Known for his signature " gyroball," Matsuzaka's pitching style captivated fans and analysts alike, contributing to the growing interest in international players during the 2000s. His tenure in MLB coincided with a transformative period in baseball, characterized by the influx of talent from overseas and the increased competitiveness of the league.
Career Pitching Statistics
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 56 | 43 | 158 | 132 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 790.3 | 721 | 391 | 85 | 387 | 720 | 4.45 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Pitching
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | BOS | AL | 15 | 12 | 32 | 32 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 204.7 | 191 | 100 | 80 | 201 | 4.40 | 1314.5 |
| 2008 | BOS | AL | 18 | 3 | 29 | 29 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 167.7 | 128 | 54 | 94 | 154 | 2.90 | 1262.7 |
| 2009 | BOS | AL | 4 | 6 | 12 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 59.3 | 81 | 38 | 30 | 54 | 5.76 | -1147.2 |
| 2010 | BOS | AL | 9 | 6 | 25 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 153.7 | 137 | 80 | 74 | 133 | 4.69 | 123.3 |
| 2011 | BOS | AL | 3 | 3 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 37.3 | 32 | 22 | 23 | 26 | 5.30 | -951.4 |
| 2012 | BOS | AL | 1 | 7 | 11 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 45.7 | 58 | 42 | 20 | 41 | 8.28 | -2220.4 |
| 2013 | NYN | NL | 3 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 38.7 | 32 | 19 | 16 | 33 | 4.42 | -438.1 |
| 2014 | NYN | NL | 3 | 3 | 34 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 83.3 | 62 | 36 | 50 | 78 | 3.89 | -999.4 |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 158 | 37 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 16 | 0.189 | 0.211 | 0.189 | 0.400 | 0.0 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | BOS | AL | 32 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 2008 | BOS | AL | 29 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 2009 | BOS | AL | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 2010 | BOS | AL | 25 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.500 | 0.0 |
| 2011 | BOS | AL | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 2012 | BOS | AL | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 2013 | NYN | NL | 7 | 12 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0.250 | 0.0 |
| 2014 | NYN | NL | 34 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0.182 | 0.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0.333 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | ALCS | BOS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 2008 | ALDS1 | BOS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 2007 | WS | BOS | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0.333 |
| 2007 | ALDS1 | BOS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 2007 | ALCS | BOS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
Playoff Career Pitching
| W | L | G | GS | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 1 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 35.7 | 39 | 19 | 17 | 33 | 4.79 |
Playoff Pitching by Year
| Year | Round | Team | W | L | G | GS | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | ALCS | BOS | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 11.0 | 9 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 4.09 |
| 2008 | ALDS1 | BOS | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5.0 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 5.40 |
| 2007 | ALCS | BOS | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 9.7 | 12 | 6 | 2 | 9 | 5.59 |
| 2007 | ALDS1 | BOS | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4.7 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5.79 |
| 2007 | WS | BOS | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5.3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 3.38 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 158 | 132 | 47 | 75 | 3 | 10 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | BOS | P | 32 | 32 | 11 | 23 | 0 | 3 |
| 2008 | BOS | P | 29 | 29 | 16 | 19 | 1 | 2 |
| 2009 | BOS | P | 12 | 12 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 2 |
| 2010 | BOS | P | 25 | 25 | 8 | 12 | 2 | 2 |
| 2011 | BOS | P | 8 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2012 | BOS | P | 11 | 11 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2013 | NYN | P | 7 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 2014 | NYN | P | 34 | 9 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 1 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 158 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Player of the Week | Week of 2007-05-19 |
Salary History
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | NYN | NL | $1,500,000 |
| 2012 | BOS | AL | $10,333,333 |
| 2011 | BOS | AL | $10,333,333 |
| 2010 | BOS | AL | $8,333,333 |
| 2009 | BOS | AL | $8,333,333 |
| 2008 | BOS | AL | $8,333,333 |
| 2007 | BOS | AL | $6,333,333 |
| Total Career Earnings | $53,499,998 | ||
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Cy Young Award | AL | 4th | 10.0 | 140 | 0 |
| 2007 | Rookie of the Year | AL | 4th | 12.0 | 140 | 0 |