Indians invite RHP Matsuzaka to camp

CLEVELAND, OH - The Cleveland Indians today announced the club has signed free agent RHP DAISUKE MATSUZAKA to a Minor League contract with a non-roster invitation to Major League camp.

Matsuzaka, 32, owns a career Major League record of 50-37 with a 4.53 ERA in 116 starts (668.1IP, 627H, 336ER, 321BB, 609K, .247AVG) with the Boston Red Sox since 2007.  The Tokyo, Japan native went a combined 33-15 with a 3.72 ERA in 61 starts for the Sox in 2007-08 (372.1IP, 319H, 154ER, 355K), but has been limited to 18 starts and 83.0 innings the last two campaigns after undergoing right elbow reconstruction in June 2011. 

The right-handed pitcher was the MVP of the 2006 and 2009 World Baseball Classics, going 6-0 with a 1.95 ERA in 6 WBC starts.  Daisuke pitched for the Seibu Lions from 1999-2006, going 108-60 with a 2.95 ERA in 204 games/190 starts (1402.2IP, 1102H, 459ER, 1355K) and led the Pacific League in strikeouts four times, finished first in wins on three occasions and was a two-time ERA champ.