Hideki Matsui hit a grand slam in his first at-bat as a New York Yankee -- well, his second plate appearance, but who's counting -- and spent the next seven years proving that wasn't a fluke. They called him Godzilla, and the man destroyed baseballs with the same businesslike efficiency as his namesake leveled Tokyo. No flash, no bat flips, no curtain calls. Just damage.
The Circus Comes to the Bronx
When Matsui signed his 3-year, $21 million deal in December 2002, the Yankees didn't just get a left fielder. They got a traveling media circus. Roughly 50 to 60 credentialed Japanese journalists followed him everywhere -- spring training, road trips, the whole nine. The club built an entire media pool system from scratch just to handle it. Godzilla held separate press conferences for Japanese and American media after home games. His at-bats aired live back in Japan that entire first season (and frankly, it's wild that one guy's plate appearances counted as appointment television for an entire country).
Brian Cashman drove the acquisition, and it turned out to be a steal. Matsui wanted a ring, and he picked the right place to chase one. He just had to wait seven years for it.
The Iron Man
Here's what people forget about Godzilla: the guy never missed a game. Not in Japan, not in the Bronx. He'd already played 1,250 consecutive games with the Yomiuri Giants before he crossed the Pacific. Then he showed up and played every single Yankees game for three straight years -- 518 consecutive starts to open his MLB career.
| Games (NYY) | 923 |
| Batting Average (NYY) | .292 |
| Home Runs (NYY) | 140 |
| RBI (NYY) | 597 |
| OPS (NYY) | .859 |
| WAR (NYY) | 18.3 |
| All-Star Selections | 3 |
| Silver Slugger Awards | 1 |
That streak didn't end because his body broke down. It ended because he dove for a fly ball at Fenway on May 11, 2006 and fractured his wrist. A freak accident, not mileage. He played 1,768 consecutive games across two professional leagues before a single play took him out (the baseball gods have a sick sense of humor sometimes).
The Peak Years
Matsui's 2004 season was the power masterpiece: .298, 31 homers, 108 RBI, .912 OPS. He drove in 106 runs as a ROOKIE in 2003 and followed it up by getting even better. Three straight All-Star nods from '03 through '05. A Silver Slugger in '05 -- the year he hit .305 with 116 RBI, which might've actually been his best all-around season. He wasn't the flashiest guy in the lineup -- not with A-Rod and Jeter around -- but he might've been the most dependable.
And that's the thing about Matsui. He didn't wow you with any one tool. He just showed up, hit the ball hard, drove in runs, and never complained. The guy studied video of MLB pitchers for YEARS before he ever faced one. He built a personal film library in Japan just to be ready. That's not talent -- that's obsession.
He was one of the most professional players I've ever been around. He came to the ballpark every day ready to play.
November 4, 2009
Look, you can talk about his career numbers all day. Good player, solid Yankee, all of that. But Matsui's spot in the pantheon comes down to one night.
Game 6. 2009 World Series. Phillies. The Stadium. Godzilla went 3-for-4 with two home runs and SIX RBI. He hit a 2-run shot off Pedro Martinez in the second inning. Then he hit ANOTHER 2-run homer off Pedro in the third. Six of the Yankees' seven runs came off his bat. The man couldn't even play the field at that point -- bad knees, full-time DH -- and he single-handedly closed out a freakin' World Series.
His full Series line: .615 batting average, 3 homers, 8 RBI, a 2.000 OPS. He won the World Series MVP unanimously and became the first Japanese-born player to ever win the award. Those numbers are absurd (like, video-game-on-easy-mode absurd).
What more can you say about Hideki? He was unbelievable throughout the whole Series. Six RBI in a clinching game.
The Goodbye That Stung
Here's the cruel part: Game 6 of the 2009 World Series was Matsui's last game in pinstripes. The club let him walk that December. His knees had made him a full-time DH, Curtis Granderson was coming in, and the brass wanted roster flexibility. It made sense on paper. It still didn't feel right.
Matsui bounced around after that -- Angels in 2010, A's in 2011, Rays in 2012 -- but he was done by 32 games into his Tampa stint. He came back for a retirement ceremony at the Stadium on July 28, 2013, got his plaque in Monument Park (his number 55 wasn't retired, but the honor still hit), and got the standing ovation he deserved.
Signs with the Yankees
Matsui inks a 3-year, $21 million contract after posting from the Yomiuri Giants.
MLB Debut Grand Slam
In his second plate appearance at Yankee Stadium, Matsui launches a grand slam off Joe Mays against the Twins.
Iron Man Streak Ends
A diving play at Fenway Park fractures his left wrist, snapping 518 consecutive MLB games played from his debut.
World Series MVP
Matsui goes 3-for-4 with 2 HR and 6 RBI in Game 6 to clinch the Yankees' 27th championship.
Monument Park Honor
The Yankees unveil Matsui's plaque in Monument Park during a retirement ceremony at the Stadium.
Frequently Asked Questions
What were Hideki Matsui's 2009 World Series stats?
Matsui batted .615 (8-for-13) with 3 home runs and 8 RBI across 6 games. In Game 6, he went 3-for-4 with 2 HR and 6 RBI. He won the MVP unanimously and became the first Japanese-born player to earn the award.
Why was Hideki Matsui called Godzilla?
The nickname came from Japanese fans and media during his early career with the Yomiuri Giants. His size -- 6'2", 210 lbs, huge by NPB standards -- and his destructive power at the plate drew obvious comparisons to Japan's most famous movie monster. The name stuck for his entire career.
How many consecutive games did Hideki Matsui play?
Matsui played 1,250 consecutive games in Japan with the Yomiuri Giants, then played 518 consecutive games to start his MLB career with the Yankees. The combined 1,768 consecutive games across two leagues ended when he fractured his wrist on a diving play at Fenway Park on May 11, 2006.
Why didn't the Yankees re-sign Matsui after the 2009 World Series?
Matsui's knee injuries had limited him to DH-only duties despite winning the World Series MVP. The Yankees had Curtis Granderson arriving for the outfield, wanted more roster flexibility, and Matsui was 35 years old. He signed with the Angels for 2010 and later played for the A's and Rays before retiring in 2013.
He swung like Godzilla and left like a gentleman. The World Series MVP in his last game as a Yankee. You can't script that.
Season-by-Season Stats
Regular Season
| Year | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 163 | 623 | 82 | 179 | 42 | 1 | 16 | 106 | 63 | 86 | 2 | .287 | .353 | .435 | .788 |
| 2004 | 162 | 584 | 109 | 174 | 34 | 2 | 31 | 108 | 88 | 103 | 3 | .298 | .390 | .522 | .912 |
| 2005 | 162 | 629 | 108 | 192 | 45 | 3 | 23 | 116 | 63 | 78 | 2 | .305 | .367 | .496 | .863 |
| 2006 | 51 | 172 | 32 | 52 | 9 | 0 | 8 | 29 | 27 | 23 | 1 | .302 | .393 | .494 | .887 |
| 2007 | 143 | 547 | 100 | 156 | 28 | 4 | 25 | 103 | 73 | 73 | 4 | .285 | .367 | .488 | .855 |
| 2008 | 93 | 337 | 43 | 99 | 17 | 0 | 9 | 45 | 38 | 47 | 0 | .294 | .370 | .424 | .794 |
| 2009 | 142 | 456 | 62 | 125 | 21 | 1 | 28 | 90 | 64 | 75 | 0 | .274 | .367 | .509 | .876 |
| Career | 916 | 3348 | 536 | 977 | 196 | 11 | 140 | 597 | 416 | 485 | 12 | .292 | .370 | .482 | .852 |
Postseason
| Year | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 17 | 64 | -- | 18 | -- | -- | 2 | 11 | -- | -- | -- | .281 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2004 | 11 | 51 | -- | 21 | -- | -- | 3 | 13 | -- | -- | -- | .412 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2005 | 5 | 20 | -- | 4 | -- | -- | 1 | 1 | -- | -- | -- | .200 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2006 | 4 | 16 | -- | 4 | -- | -- | 0 | 1 | -- | -- | -- | .250 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2007 | 4 | 11 | -- | 2 | -- | -- | 0 | 0 | -- | -- | -- | .182 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2009 | 15 | 43 | -- | 15 | -- | -- | 4 | 13 | -- | -- | -- | .349 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 56 | 205 | 0 | 64 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 39 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .312 | .312 | .459 | .771 |