Masanori Ishikawa, the veteran 46-year-old pitcher for the Yakult Swallows, will officially hang up his cleats after the 2026 season concludes. The news was revealed by a source close to the situation on Wednesday.
Ishikawa is currently the oldest player in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), Japan's premier professional baseball league. He has dedicated more than two decades to the Yakult Swallows since his debut in 2002.
Throughout his lengthy career, Ishikawa has been known for his precise pitching and rare endurance, outlasting multiple generations of younger players to maintain peak performance at an age when most athletes have long retired.
Ishikawa's retirement announcement marks the end of one of the most remarkable careers in modern Japanese baseball history. He has experienced numerous highs and lows with the team and played a key role in the Swallows' Japan Series championship rosters.
Details regarding a tribute ceremony and the veteran pitcher's post-retirement plans are expected to be officially announced by the club in the near future.
