Daisuke Matsuzaka ended his baseball career with a ceremony that included a surprise appearance by Ichiro Suzuki.
Matsuzaka told fans at the Dome that he was happy to leave the sport on his terms.
Matsuzaka said he was content that he was able to keep playing baseball until he could no longer throw.
A video from Suzuki was played, and he surprised Matsuzaka on the field with a bouquet of flowers.
I didn't think this would happen. Matsuzaka said it was crazy, according to the news agency. I was able to hold up at first, but then the tears came and I was done for.
I was overjoyed that Ichiro-san came to see me. I'm happy that I was able to make it this far.
Both Suzuki and Matsuzaka played in Major League Baseball. They were teammates for Japan's World Baseball Classic titles.
Matsuzaka was a starter for the New York Mets and the Boston Red Sox from 2007 to 2014. He won a World Series title in his first season with the Red Sox.
He pitched for the Lions from 1999 to 2006 and the past two seasons. After returning to Japan in 2015, he played for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks and the Chunichi Dragons.
