Matsui lands Opening Day first-pitch honors at Yankee Stadium

Hideki Matsui, the Japanese outfielder who earned two All-Star nods in seven seasons with the New York Yankees and helped the club to a World Series championship in 2009, will be back in the Bronx on Monday to throw out the ceremonial first pitch for the club's season opener against the Houston Astros.

Known affectionately as "Godzilla," Matsui became just the fourth Japanese-born position player in MLB history when he debuted with the Yankees in 2003 following an illustrious 10-year stint with the Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball. In seven years with the Yankees, Matsui managed an .852 OPS in 774 regular-season contests, appearing in every single game from 2003 through 2005 before injuries marred his last few years with the club.

In his final season with the Yankees, however, Matsui smashed 28 homers while hitting .274/.367/.509 over 142 games, eventually earning World Series MVP after lifting New York past the Philadelphia Phillies by hitting .615 with three home runs in the 2009 Fall Classic.

Matsui, 41, retired after the 2012 campaign following brief stints with the Los Angeles Angels, Oakland Athletics, and Tampa Bay Rays, finishing his MLB career with 175 homers and an .822 OPS in 1,236 games.