NEW YORK – Hideki Matsui is staying with the New York Yankees, agreeing to a $52 million, four-year contract that makes him the highest-paid Japanese player in the major leagues.
“I’m most very happy to be able to come back again and wear the pinstripes again and play in that uniform,” Matsui said at a news conference yesterday. “My first desire was to play here.”
Matsui’s agent, Arn Tellem, and Yankees general manager Brian Cashman met the Nov. 15 deadline contained in Matsui’s first contract with the team. That deal stated that if there was no agreement by then, New York would have to place the outfielder on unconditional release waivers, which would have prevented the Yankees from re-signing him until May 15.
“I know Hideki is relieved. This is where he always wanted to be,” Tellem said after reaching the agreement Tuesday night. “His hope is to finish his career as a Yankee and help the Yankees win the World Series.”
Matsui is to earn $13 million in each of the next four seasons and gets a no-trade clause. He was coming off a $21 million, three-year contract in which he earned an additional $1.5 million in performance bonuses.
“This was obviously the No. 1 priority to get him wrapped up,” Yankees manager Joe Torre said. “He’s such an important player.”
Torre isn’t sure whether Matsui will remain in left field next season or shift to center. Matsui didn’t express a preference and said he was pleased that Torre decided against quitting.
“Certainly the fact that Joe was coming back to manage again for me was a big factor in my decision,” Matsui said.
His agreement topped outfielder Ichiro Suzuki’s $44 million, four-year contract with Seattle in December 2003.
“I had no intention to compete with Ichiro or anything like that,” Matsui said through a translator. “It certainly is an honor, but beyond that honor comes the responsibility to fulfill that contract.”
A three-time MVP in Japan’s Central League with the Yomiuri Giants, Matsui has been one of the Yankees’ most productive hitters since arriving in New York – and has played in every game the past three years. He batted .305 with 23 homers and 116 RBIs last season.
“Both sides wanted to make a deal and ultimately we were able to agree on the numbers,” Tellem said. “There was never any real problem. Brian and I have a long history of making deals. In my mind, I had no doubt at the end we would.”
After agreeing to a new contract to stay on as general manager, Cashman had said re-signing Matsui was his first priority.
“Finding players that can perform on the big stage in New York, it makes it that much more important to retain those players,” Cashman said. “Hideki’s a rare individual where he produces on the field, contributes to the bottom line in winning, but he also provides some extra intangibles because of the severe interest coming over from Japan.”
In other Yankees news, New York exercised its $1.5 million option on reliever Tanyon Sturtze rather than paying a $150,000 buyout. The 35-year-old right-hander was 5-3 with a 4.73 ERA and one save. He made one start and 63 relief appearances.
