Baseball: Matsui says Darvish big factor in Padres choice

Closer Yuki Matsui said Tuesday the chance to play alongside Japanese compatriot Yu Darvish at the San Diego Padres was a big factor in his decision to join the club. “(Darvish) is a pretty big presence for me,” said Matsui, who had 236 saves with a 2.40 ERA in 10 seasons with the Rakuten Eagles in the Pacific League in Japan. “It’ll be a big plus being able to play baseball (with him) and live close to him.” The Eagles’ first-round draft pick ahead of the 2014 season, Matsui led the PL in saves for the third time last year, topping the category for the second year in a row with a career-best …

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