Major League Baseball

Dice-K headed back to Japan? Offer expected for 34-year-old righty

Published Oct. 31, 2014 11:25 p.m. ET

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Right-hander Daisuke Matsuzaka wants to get back to starting, and he might have that opportunity in his native country.

The Pacific League’s Fukuoka Softbank Hawks reportedly will offer the former New York Mets and Boston Red Sox pitcher a four-year contract worth $3.58 million (400 million yen) annually.

Matsuzaka made his wishes clear after he had just nine starts for the New York Mets this past season.

“I want to start,” Matsuzaka said. “But I haven’t really put too much thought into whether it’s going to be here or there. At this point, I just want to start.”

The 34-year-old Japanese pitcher was 3-3 with a 3.89 ERA in 34 appearances in 2014. He has been plagued by injuries and hasn’t pitched more than 100 innings since 2010, when he was with the Red Sox from his major-league debut in 2007 to 2012. He joined the Mets in 2013.

In 158 career MLB games (132 starts), Dice-K owns a 56-43 record with a 4.45 ERA. He won a World Series ring with the Red Sox in 2007 when they swept the Colorado Rockies. He appeared in one World Series game, winning Game 3 of that series.

MORE FROM NESN:

Matsuzaka signs minor-league deal with Mets

Matsuzaka demoted to Mets' Triple-A team despite solid spring

Dice-K called up by Mets to replace Lannan

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