Boston ? The man with the $100 million arm is eager to add to Boston’s rich pitching history. Daisuke Matsuzaka’s $52 million, six-year contract was announced Thursday by the Boston Red Sox, who hope he will follow Roger Clemens and Pedro Martinez as an ace on the Fenway Park mound.

Add the team’s winning $51.11 million bid for negotiating rights to the Japanese ace, which must be paid to the Seibu Lions by Dec. 21, and Boston’s investment comes to $103.11 million. That doesn’t include $8 million in escalators based on Matsuzaka winning awards.

And there’s still at least four months to go before he throws his first pitch in the regular season.

“Today what we’re really doing is announcing the signing of a national treasure,” general manager Theo Epstein said. “We understand his importance in Japan. We know what he represents.

“To the fans in Japan, we pledge to do everything we can to support Daisuke … and to ensure that he’ll be a success. Not that he needs much help,” Epstein said.

Daisuke was then handed a jersey with the No. 18 – the one last worn by Johnny Damon.

“I’m very happy and excited to be a member of the Boston Red Sox,” he said through a translator.

Matsuzaka has a 108-60 record in Japan with a 2.95 earned-run average and 1,355 strikeouts in 204 games. He was MVP of the inaugural World Baseball Classic last March, won by Japan.

He gets a $2 million signing bonus, $6 million next year, $8 million in each of the following three seasons and $10 million in each of the final two years. The agreement includes $8 million in escalators based on awards that could bring the total to $60 million over six years.