Dice-K is expected to make three minor league starts in advance of a possible return to the Red Sox on April 25. When he does get the call-up, the team will have to decide where to put him.
Josh Beckett, Jon Lester and John Lackey are entrenched in the first three spots of the rotation and are going nowhere. That leaves grizzled veteran Tim Wakefield and youngster Clay Buchholz as possibilities to be bumped to the 'pen.
All indications are that Boston is committed to keeping Buchholz in the rotation, since he could be the right-handed version of Lester. That leaves the 43-year-old Wakefield as the only option for Matsuzaka to replace.
Many believe that if Matsuzaka had opened the season healthy, he would have beaten out Wakefield for a rotation spot.
But, with the Japanese import opening the season on the disabled list and Wake tossing a gem against the Royals on Friday, suddenly Wakefield looks to have some security in the rotation.
And yet, someone's got to go.
Is it smart to replace Wakefield with someone who had a disastrous season in 2009, and who walks the tightrope every start by putting men on base and preventing them from scoring?
Matsuzaka was invaluable his first two years in a Red Sox uniform, and that man is still hiding somewhere, waiting to emerge once again.
Should Boston put Matsuzaka in the rotation, hoping the man they need to deliver, does? Or should the Red Sox not fix what isn't broken after a 2-3 beginning to the year?
It's a tough question, because all six men who expect to be starting are good starters. Barring a pioneering of a permanent six-man rotation or an unforeseen injury, however, someone will have to be shuttled off to the bullpen.
Should that someone be Wakefield, or does Matsuzaka have to prove himself before being handed the keys to the rotation?
Share your thoughts below. The best comments will be read on NESN's Red Sox Gameday Live or Red Sox Final.
April 10: Why is the Red Sox' 1-3 start no reason to panic?
