Adam Rubin of ESPN New York passes along a report from Sports Hochi in Japan that says the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks of the Japanese League have offered Daisuke Matsuzaka a four-year contract.
According to the report the deal would be worth about $3.5 million per season, which is well beyond what Matsuzaka could expect to make in American even if he were somehow able to snag a guaranteed one-year contract from some team.
Matsuzaka pitched reasonably well for the Mets after being shifted to the bullpen, but the 34-year-old right-hander has made it clear that he still wants to be a starter and returning to Japan seems like the best opportunity (and biggest payday) to do so.
Matsuzaka left Japan in 2007 to sign a six-year, $52 million contract with the Red Sox and had immediate success, but dating back to 2009 he’s combined to throw 418 innings with a 5.10 ERA.