Recently retired pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka bid farewell in a speech Saturday at the Seibu Lions' fan appreciation day event, where Ichiro Suzuki surprised him and presented his former opponent and Japan teammate with a bouquet of flowers.
A household name in Japan since high school thanks to his iconic performances on the national stage, Matsuzaka faced just one batter this season in the final game of a pro career that started in 1999.
"I'm content that I was able to keep playing baseball until I could no longer throw normally in the end," he told fans at Seibu's MetLife Dome in Saitama Prefecture.