The Boston Red Sox ended up paying a pretty penny just for the opportunity to negotiate a contract with Daisuke Matsuzaka back in 2006. And amid news that Matsuzaka will retire following the 2021 season, former Red Sox manager Terry Francona shared a hilarious story about spending even more money to recruit the star.
Speaking to reporters Friday, the current Cleveland Indians manager said he was tasked with finding a last-minute gift for the star when he and then-general manager Theo Epstein were headed on a recruiting trip.
Francona did what we’ve all done when it’s up to us to find the perfect present ASAP: he went to Dick’s Sporting Goods and bought a Tom Brady jersey.
Listening to Francona tell the story in this video shared by WBZ-TV’s Dan Roche, it’s clear that the gift was given in earnest:
Whether it was the jersey that sealed the deal or not, Matsuzaka was convinced enough to start his MLB career in Boston.
