See it: ex-Yankees’ World Series Hero Still Crushing Homers at Age 50

Former New York Yankees star Hideki Matsui proved he is still capable of "thrillas from Godzilla."

Sep 9, 2023; Bronx, New York, USA; Former New York Yankees outfielder Hideki Matsui at Old Timer s Day before the game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

One of the New York Yankees' most notable World Series heroes proved that he's still capable of launching.

Former Yankee outfielder/DH Hideki Matsui has gone viral on baseball social media for a recent showcase of power, one that saw the 50-year-old crush a baseball into a familiar setting: the right field bleachers at Tokyo Dome.

Matsui was partaking in an exhibition game overseen by fellow former MLB star Ichiro Suzuki, who routinely hosts exhibition games against female high school stars to promote girls baseball. The home run was part of a victory for Team Ichiro, one that drew over 28,000 fans in the Tokyo Dome stands per Kyodo News.

You can view Matsui's blast below, courtesy of @NekoSuke5_5 on X.

松井秀喜さん
久しぶりの東京ドームで
見事なホームラン！#松井秀喜 #KOBECHIBEN pic.twitter.com/RazUXjMflF

— 猫輔 (@NekoSuke5_5) September 23, 2024

Matsui was the MVP of the Yankees' most recent World Series title in 2009, batting .615 in the six-game victory over the Philadelphia Phillies. Affectionately referred to as "Godzilla," Matsui played seven seasons of a 10-year MLB career with the Yankees and appeared in three All-Star Games while swatting 140 home runs.

Matsui's MLB career ended in 2012 after three seasons between Anaheim, Oakland, and Philadelphia. He has been a regular presence at the Yankees' Old-Timers Day celebrations since his MLB departure, notably hitting a home run off David Cone during the 2016 edition.

"I loved the Yankees and wearing the pinstripes was truly a joy for me," Matsui said in a 2021 essay posted on The Players' Tribune. "For me, the first seven years I spent with the Yankees were great. After that, I still often felt the greatness of New York and the Yankees when I was away."