Nippon Ham
Matsuzaka won his first official pro game in his first start of the 1999 season against the Nippon Ham Fighters at the Tokyo Dome. His first career strikeout came against Atsushi Kataoka in the first inning on a high fastball clocked at 155 km/h (96 mph). He won the game, but he also gave up the first home run in the game to Michihiro Ogasawara of the Nippon Ham Fighters.