Daisuke Matsuzaka arrived in the big leagues in 2007 as one of the most expensive bets in baseball history. The Red Sox didn’t just sign him — they paid through the nose just for the right to negotiate with him.
His Last Major Contract
- Team: Boston Red Sox
- Signed: December 13, 2006
- Length: 6 years (2007–2012)
- Total guaranteed value: $52 million
- Average annual value: $8.67 million
- Posting fee: $51.1 million
How the Deal Was Structured
The contract itself was straightforward: six fully guaranteed years worth $52 million, averaging $8.67M per season. No opt-outs, no performance clauses, no escape hatches for Boston. What made it extraordinary wasn’t the salary — it was the price of admission.
Under the blind-bid posting system in place at the time, MLB clubs competed for exclusive negotiating rights with Japanese players. Boston submitted the winning bid of $51,111,111.11, paid directly to the Seibu Lions. That posting fee nearly matched the contract itself, pushing the total investment to over $103 million — a number that reflected just how much the organization believed in Matsuzaka’s ceiling.
The Fine Print
The $52 million contract was 100% guaranteed, with no deferred money or performance triggers that could have reduced his earnings. Once Boston won the posting bid, they negotiated directly with Matsuzaka and locked him up for the full six seasons. There was no safety net built into the deal.
Where He Ranks Among MLB’s Biggest Contracts
On paper, a $52M contract doesn’t crack the top tier of historical MLB deals. But the full picture — $103M+ when you include the posting fee — tells a different story. Matsuzaka’s signing didn’t reshape pitcher salaries directly, but it sent a loud message about how aggressively teams were willing to spend for elite international talent.
The Road to Boston
Matsuzaka came to the Red Sox straight from Japan’s professional leagues, with no prior MLB service time. His reputation as a true ace in Japan was the engine behind Boston’s aggressive pursuit. Over his six years with the club (2007–2012), he earned every dollar of that guaranteed $52 million. After leaving Boston, he continued pitching in the majors with other organizations, but never came close to landing a contract of that magnitude again.
