NEW YORK -- Hideki Matsui and the Yankees agreed Tuesday night to a $52 million, four-year contract that will keep the popular outfielder in New York.
Matsui's agent, Arn Tellem, and Yankees general manager Brian Cashman met the Nov. 15 deadline contained in Matsui's first contract with the team. That deal stated that if there was no agreement by then, New York would have to place the outfielder on unconditional release waivers, which means the Yankees could not have re-signed him until May 15.
Matsui is to earn $13 million in each of the next four seasons, a baseball official familiar with the talks said on condition of anonymity because the team did not disclose the financial terms. Matsui was coming off a $21 million, three-year contract in which he earned an additional $1.5 million in performance bonuses.
New York scheduled a Wednesday news conference at Yankee Stadium to discuss the deal.
A three-time MVP in Japan's Central League with the Yomiuri Giants, Matsui has been one of the Yankees more productive hitters. He batted .305 with 23 homers and 116 RBI last season.
After agreeing to a new contract to stay on as general manager, Cashman said that re-signing Matsui was his first priority.
In other Yankees news, New York exercised its $1.5 million option on reliever Tanyon Sturtze rather than paying a $150,000 buyout. The 35-year-old right-hander was 5-3 with a 4.73 ERA and one save in one start and 63 relief appearances.
