Major League Baseball

Matsuzaka donates $1M to Japan relief

Published Mar. 25, 2011 10:28 p.m. ET

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Boston Red Sox pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka is donating $1 million to the team's official charity for victims of the earthquake and tsunami in his native Japan.

The team said Friday the right-hander's gift to the Red Sox Foundation will be sent to the Japanese Red Cross Society to aid response to the March 11 disaster.

Boston's other Japanese pitchers — Hideki Okajima, Junichi Tazawa and Itsuki Shoda — also have made personal donations and joined Matsuzaka, team captain Jason Varitek and others in collecting donations from fans at two spring training games in Florida.

The Red Sox Foundation has raised more than $1.3 million for relief in Japan.