Daisuke Matsuzaka

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese schoolboy Yusei Kikuchi will hold 'speed interviews' with Major League Baseball clubs as the race to sign the explosive left-hander heats up. The 18-year-old pitcher is poised to meet representatives from eight MLB clubs including the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, Seattle Mariners and Los Angeles Dodgers, beginning on Friday. Kikuchi's high school said their coveted pitcher would also speak to officials of all 12 Japanese domestic ballclubs over the next four days. Kikuchi would hold talks with all 20 clubs at his Hanamaki Higashi high school in Iwate, northern Japan, the school's coach Hiroshi Sasaki said. "We want ... Read Full Story

Daisuke Matsuzaka returned from a three-month stint on the disabled list and pitched six shutout innings on Tuesday night to lead the Boston Red Sox to a 4-1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels, their likely first-round playoff opponent. David Ortiz hit his record-breaking 270th homer as a designated hitter and also added an RBI single after Boston broke a scoreless tie in the sixth thanks to a throwing error by John Lackey (10-8). The Red Sox have won six straight since returning to Fenway Park after Labor Day. Jonathan Papelbon pitched the ninth and gave up an RBI double to Erick Aybar before ... Read Full Story

BOSTON (Reuters) - Japanese pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka made a stunning return to Major League Baseball on Tuesday to lead the Boston Red Sox to a 4-1 win over the Los Angeles Angels. Making his first appearance since a three-month layoff for a shoulder injury, Matsuzaka showed no signs of rustiness as he struck out five batters in six innings. He easily won his duel with in-form Angels pitcher John Lackey, who had given up one earned run in his last three games. A throwing error by Lackey allowed Alex Gonzalez to open the scoring for the Red Sox in the sixth inning. David Ortiz ... Read Full Story

Despite requiring FBI protection and witnessing black teammates suffer widespread discrimination, Masanori "Mashi" Murakami insists US baseball in the 1960s was a golden age. Now 65, Japanese pitcher Murakami, the first native Asian to star in the major leagues, vividly remembers the hate mail and seeing black teammate Willie Mays prevented from living in a white residential neighbourhood. "If I was given another chance, I'd still prefer to play in the major leagues of 45 years ago," Murakami told AFP. "The players were fair and there was no such problem as drugs." Murakami was speaking on the anniversary of his major league debut as ... Read Full Story

BOSTON (Reuters) - Boston Red Sox pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka is scheduled to make his first Major League start in nearly three months next week as he returns from injury, the team said on its website. Matsuzaka, troubled by shoulder problems most of the season, is scheduled to face the Los Angeles Angels at home on Tuesday, Red Sox manager Terry Francona told http:boston.redsox.mlb.com. The Japanese right-hander, who has not pitched for Boston since June 19, finished a minor league rehabilitation assignment on Wednesday, yielding three hits and one run in six-plus innings. "It sounded like he held his velocity and had some depth to ... Read Full Story