Wrist Injury Snaps Matsui’s Games Streak

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Hideki Matsui’s consecutive games streak ended last night – even though he started and touched the ball.

Because of a quirky rule in Major League Baseball, Matsui’s streak of 518 games played ended when he hurt his left wrist trying for a diving catch in the first inning of the Yankees’ game against the Boston Red Sox. The results of the game were not available at press time.

Mark Loretta, Boston’s second hitter, sent a blooper into left field, and Matsui landed hard on his wrist in an unsuccessful bid to make the catch. He walked off the field with a trainer and was replaced by Bernie Williams for the remainder of the game.

Because Matsui did not play a full half inning, his streak ended when the game became official.

Baseball rule 10.24 (c) states: “A consecutive game playing streak shall be extended if the player plays one half inning on defense, or if he completes a time at bat by reaching base or being put out.”

If Matsui had been ejected in the top of the first, his streak would have continued, according to the rule.

Matsui’s professional streak ends at 1,768 games. He played 1,250 consecutive games with the Yomiuri Giants in Japan from 1994-2002, and in every game with the Yankees since joining the team in 2003.

He holds the major league record to start a career, surpassing Ernie Banks’s run of 424 consecutive games played for the Chicago Cubs from 1953-56.

Matsui’s streak was the longest for the Yankees since Lou Gehrig played in 2,130 straight games from 1925-39, which was the big league record until Cal Ripken of the Baltimore Orioles broke it in 1995 by playing in 2,632 consecutive games.


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