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Boston Red Sox: Daisuke Matsuzaka to retire at end of 2021

By David Hill

NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 03: Daisuke Matsuzaka #18 of the Boston Red Sox delivers a pitchin the first inning against the New York Yankees on October 3, 2012 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 03: Daisuke Matsuzaka #18 of the Boston Red Sox delivers a pitchin the first inning against the New York Yankees on October 3, 2012 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /
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It has been years since Daisuke Matsuzaka has been the ace he once was. The former Boston Red Sox top prospect, a pitcher who was supposed to lead the team’s rotation for the next decade. However, that did not happen, as he turned out to be a disappointment before heading back to Japan after the 2014 season.

Seven years after his final major league outing, Matsuzaka is finally hanging up his cleats. His body has had enough and has finally given out as he no longer has any sensation in the fingers in his right hand.

Former Boston Red Sox pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka to retire

This is not the ending that he had hoped for. Matsuzaka had returned to the Seibu Lions, a team that he had dominated for prior to coming to the majors. However, he was unable to take the mound in his former stomping grounds as his injury woes had kept him off of the diamond since 2019.

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Although he appeared in just 34 games since the start of the 2015 season, Matsuzaka will be remembered as one of the great stars in Nippon Professional Baseball history. He posted a 114-65 record in Japan, along with a 3.04 ERA and a 1.164 WHiP. He struck out 1410 batters in his 1464.1 innings, as he ends his career as a seven time All Star and Gold Glove winner, a three time member of the Best Nine, and the 2001 Eiji Sawamura Award winner.

He was unable to have that same level of success in the majors. While he had a stellar 2008 campaign, posting an 18-3 record with a 2.90 ERA and a 1.324 WHiP in his 167.2 innings, that was his last effective year in the majors. Matsuzaka was hampered by injuries and what appeared to be an unwillingness to challenge hitters over the final years of his time stateside.

As impressive as his overall body of work had been, there is still an element of “what if” as it comes to Matsuzaka. His time as an effective pitcher was essentially over after he turned 27, as his prime was ruined due to his ongoing injury woes. His arm, which had been overworked in Japan, just could not handle the strain any longer.

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Even though he was unable to be the pitcher the Boston Red Sox hoped for, Daisuke Matsuzaka had a solid career overall. Now, it has come to an end.

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