{
  "id": 5024891,
  "title": "Baseball: NPB's oldest player, Swallows pitcher Ishikawa, 46, to retire",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/02/baseball-npbs-oldest-player-swallows-pitcher-ishikawa-46-to-retire",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-02T05:50:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Mainichi",
    "slug": "the-mainichi",
    "url": "https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20260902/p2g/00m/0sp/042000c"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) announced that 46-year-old Yakult Swallows pitcher Masanori Ishikawa will retire at the end of the current season. A source with knowledge of the situation revealed this information on Wednesday.\n\nIshikawa has dedicated his entire professional career to the Swallows, having made his debut in 2002. Throughout his tenure, he has compiled 188 career wins and holds a notable record in Japanese professional baseball. In April of last year, he achieved a remarkable feat by winning a game in 24 consecutive seasons.\n\nStanding at only 167 centimeters, Ishikawa was known for his exceptional command and pitching guile. He recorded double-digit wins in a season a total of 11 times, including a streak of five consecutive years from his rookie season. In 2002, he was honored as the Central League's Rookie of the Year, and in 2008, he claimed the ERA title.\n\nDespite playing in only five games over the past three seasons through 2025, Ishikawa made his lone appearance this year on August 27th against the Yomiuri Giants. However, he was forced to leave the game after just three innings due to shoulder pain.",
  "summary": "TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Nippon Professional Baseball's oldest active player, 46-year-old Yakult Swallows pitcher Masanori Ishikawa, will retire at the end of",
  "key_points": [
    "46-year-old Ishikawa NPB pitcher retiring after 2025 season",
    "Debut with Yakult Swallows in 2002, 188 career wins",
    "Won 24 consecutive games in 2024, Rookie of Year in 2002"
  ],
  "editors_take": "Masanori Ishikawa's retirement marks the end of an era for the Yakult Swallows, as their longest-tenured player and a pioneer of enduring success hangs up his pitching cleats.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Japan Times",
        "title": "Swallows pitcher Masanori Ishikawa retiring with no regrets after 25 seasons",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/02/swallows-pitcher-masanori-ishikawa-retiring-with-no-regrets-after-25",
        "published": "2026-09-02T08:23:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}