Why did hideki matsui play in 163 games in 2003?

Answer 1

On September 18, 2003 the Yankees and Orioles had a game scheduled in Baltimore. This was the day that Hurricane Isabel made its way up the East Coast bringing torrential rains and winds. The teams were able to get five innings in, with the score tied at 1, before the conditions got so bad that the game was halted. The Commissioner's office decided that the game would count as a tie and all individual statistics would count and that the game would be made up since, at that time, the Yankees had not clinched first place in the AL East. The game was made up as part of a doubleheader on September 26.

Had the Yankees already clinched first place at that time the game probably would not have been made up.

So, for the 2003 season, the Orioles and Yankees are credited with having played 163 games, one of which ended in a tie. Matsui played in every game that season for the Yankees.