Not to be outdone by the Yankees acquiring Japanese right-hander Masahiro Tanaka, the Mets brought back Daisuke Matsuzaka on Friday.
Matsuzaka signed a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training. The 33-year-old will compete with John Lannan, who was signed Saturday, for the final spot in the rotation.
Matsuzaka went 3-3 with a 4.42 ERA in seven starts with the Mets last season. After three rough outings, he pitched well in the final four appearances, going 3-0 with a 1.37 ERA.
Matsuzaka posted a pair of standout seasons after arriving in Boston in 2007, but since has struggled with injuries and ineffectiveness.