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Baseball:veteran pitcher Maeda joins Rakuten Eagles

SENDAI, Japan, Dec. 24 Kyodo - Right-hander Kenta Maeda poses for a photo with fans at Rakuten Mobile Park Miyagi in Sendai in Miyagi Prefecture, northeastern Japan, on Dec. 16, 2025, as he holds his first news conference after joining the Pacific League pro baseball team Rakuten Eagles. He returned to Japan after playing for 10 years in the U.S. majors.

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Pitcher Masahiro Tanaka

Veteran pitcher Masahiro Tanaka speaks to reporters at Rakuten Mobile Park Miyagi in Miyagi Prefecture, northeastern Japan, on Nov. 26, 2024, about his decision to depart from the Rakuten Eagles.

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Pitcher Masahiro Tanaka

Veteran pitcher Masahiro Tanaka speaks to reporters at Rakuten Mobile Park Miyagi in Miyagi Prefecture, northeastern Japan, on Nov. 26, 2024, about his decision to depart from the Rakuten Eagles.

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Pitcher Masahiro Tanaka

Veteran pitcher Masahiro Tanaka speaks to reporters at Rakuten Mobile Park Miyagi in Miyagi Prefecture, northeastern Japan, on Nov. 26, 2024, about his decision to depart from the Rakuten Eagles.

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45-yr-old Yamamoto re-signs with Dragons

NAGOYA, Japan - Masahiro Yamamoto, a veteran lefty of the Chunichi Dragons, attends a press conference in Nagoya on Dec. 24, 2010, after re-signing with the club in the 2011 season. The 45-year-old pitcher who earned 5 wins pledged to work hard on doubling the number of winning games in his 28th season.

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Veteran Yamamoto pitches shutout against Giants

NAGOYA, Japan - Chunichi Dragons veteran lefty Masahiro Yamamoto pitches against the Yomiuri Giants on Sept. 4, 2010, at Nagoya Dome. Forty-five-year-old Yamamoto became the oldest pitcher in Japanese baseball to pitch a shutout, leading his team to a 3-0 win.

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Veteran pitcher Kudo starts 29th season

TATEYAMA, Japan - Veteran pitcher Kimiyasu Kudo of the Seibu Lions plays catch during a workout to prepare for his 29th season in Tateyama, Chiba Prefecture, on Jan. 10, 2010. Kudo who will turn 47 in May pledged to contribute to the club's success.

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46-yr-old Kudo out of work with BayStars for next season

YOKOHAMA, Japan - Kimiyasu Kudo, a pitcher for the Yokohama BayStars and the oldest active player in Japanese baseball, speaks to reporters in Yokohama on Sept. 15, 2009 after the Central League baseball club announced it would release the 46-year-old veteran.

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46-yr-old pitcher Kudo earns 1st win in 2 yrs

YOKOHAMA, Japan - Yokohama BayStars veteran pitcher Kimiyasu Kudo greets fans after his club's 6-5 come-from-behind victory over the Rakuten Eagles at Yokohama Stadium on May 25. The 46-year-old lefty took his first win since September 2007 retiring three batters in the last and ninth inning of the game.

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46-yr-old pitcher Kudo earns 1st win in 2 yrs

YOKOHAMA, Japan - Yokohama BayStars veteran pitcher Kimiyasu Kudo throws against the Rakuten Eagles at Yokohama Stadium on May 25. The 46-year-old lefty, who pitched in the last and ninth inning, took his first win since September 2007 retiring three batters in his club's 6-5 come-from-behind victory.

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46-yr-old pitcher Kudo earns 1st win in 2 yrs

YOKOHAMA, Japan - Yokohama BayStars veteran pitcher Kimiyasu Kudo shakes hands with the club's acting manager Tomio Tashiro at Yokohama Stadium on May 25. The 46-year-old lefty took his first win since September 2007 retiring three batters in the last and ninth inning of a game against the Rakuten Eagles in his club's 6-5 come-from-behind victory.

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MLB rookie Kuwata debuts at Pirates home ground

PITTSBURGH, United States - Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Masumi Kuwata (front) of Japan listens to the U.S. national anthem ahead of a game against the Texas Rangers at the team's home ground of PNC Park on June 12. The 39-year-old veteran was elevated to the big leagues from Pirates' Triple-A affiliate in Indianapolis last week and pitched as a reliever against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium in New York on June 10.

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Yomiuri makes Kudo highest-paid pitcher in Japan

TOKYO, Japan - Yomiuri Giants veteran pitcher Kimiyasu Kudo gets into his car in front of the club office in Tokyo on Nov. 30 after re-signing with the Central League baseball club on a one-year deal. The 39-year-old left-hander will earn an estimated annual salary of 300 million yen, the highest among active pitchers in Japan.

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Veteran pitcher Hoshino to retire after this season

OSAKA, Japan - Hanshin Tigers lefty Nobuyuki Hoshino, who owns Japan's second-best record among active players with 176 career wins, speaks at a press conference in Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture, on Sept. 9 about his plan to retire at the end of this season due to health problems.

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Utsugi greets team after 2-1 win over New Zealand

SYDNEY, Australia - Veteran Reika Utsugi (No. 28) reaches to shake hands with pitcher Taeko Ishikawa and first baseman Noriko Yamaji after Japan defeated New Zealand 2-1 on Sept. 23 to finish the Olympic softball preliminary tournament with a perfect 7-0 record.

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Daiei owner apologizes to pitcher Kudo

TOKYO, Japan - Daiei Hawks owner Isao Nakauchi walks out of talks with pitcher Kimiyasu Kudo at Tokyo Dome on Nov. 3. Nakauchi apologized to the veteran southpaw over the displeasure he felt during the negotiation process for a new contract.

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Veteran pitcher Kuwata to retire

BRADENTON, United States - Veteran right-hander Masumi Kuwata speaks to reporters about his intention of retiring in Bradenton, Florida, on March 26 after his bid to pitch in the major league this year ended in failure. (Kyodo)

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Veteran pitcher Kuwata to retire

BRADENTON, United States - Veteran right-hander Masumi Kuwata speaks to reporters about his intention of retiring in Bradenton, Florida, on March 26 after his bid to pitch in the major league this year ended in failure. (Kyodo)

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46-yr-old pitcher Kudo earns 1st win in 2 yrs

YOKOHAMA, Japan - Yokohama BayStars veteran pitcher Kimiyasu Kudo throws against the Rakuten Eagles at Yokohama Stadium on May 25. The 46-year-old lefty, who pitched in the last and ninth inning, took his first win since September 2007 retiring three batters in his club's 6-5 come-from-behind victory. (Kyodo)

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46-yr-old pitcher Kudo earns 1st win in 2 yrs

YOKOHAMA, Japan - Yokohama BayStars veteran pitcher Kimiyasu Kudo shakes hands with the club's acting manager Tomio Tashiro at Yokohama Stadium on May 25. The 46-year-old lefty took his first win since September 2007 retiring three batters in the last and ninth inning of a game against the Rakuten Eagles in his club's 6-5 come-from-behind victory. (Kyodo)

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46-yr-old pitcher Kudo earns 1st win in 2 yrs

YOKOHAMA, Japan - Yokohama BayStars veteran pitcher Kimiyasu Kudo greets fans after his club's 6-5 come-from-behind victory over the Rakuten Eagles at Yokohama Stadium on May 25. The 46-year-old lefty took his first win since September 2007 retiring three batters in the last and ninth inning of the game. (Kyodo)

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Veteran pitcher Hoshino to retire after this season

OSAKA, Japan - Hanshin Tigers lefty Nobuyuki Hoshino, who owns Japan's second-best record among active players with 176 career wins, speaks at a press conference in Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture, on Sept. 9 about his plan to retire at the end of this season due to health problems. (Kyodo)

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Hiroshima pitcher tapped as goodwill envoy of U.N. training arm

Hiroshima Carp's veteran pitcher Hiroki Kuroda (L) receives a letter of appointment at Mazda Stadium in Hiroshima, western Japan, on Sept. 14, 2015, from an official of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research, tapping him as goodwill ambassador of the U.N. body that assists capacity-building in developing nations. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

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Veteran Yamamoto pitches shutout against Giants

NAGOYA, Japan - Chunichi Dragons veteran lefty Masahiro Yamamoto pitches against the Yomiuri Giants on Sept. 4, 2010, at Nagoya Dome. Forty-five-year-old Yamamoto became the oldest pitcher in Japanese baseball to pitch a shutout, leading his team to a 3-0 win. (Kyodo)

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45-yr-old Yamamoto re-signs with Dragons

NAGOYA, Japan - Masahiro Yamamoto, a veteran lefty of the Chunichi Dragons, attends a press conference in Nagoya on Dec. 24, 2010, after re-signing with the club in the 2011 season. The 45-year-old pitcher who earned 5 wins pledged to work hard on doubling the number of winning games in his 28th season. (Kyodo)

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Veteran pitcher Kudo starts 29th season

TATEYAMA, Japan - Veteran pitcher Kimiyasu Kudo of the Seibu Lions plays catch during a workout to prepare for his 29th season in Tateyama, Chiba Prefecture, on Jan. 10, 2010. Kudo who will turn 47 in May pledged to contribute to the club's success. (Kyodo)

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Baseball: A's-Mariners opening series in Japan

Seattle Mariners outfielder Ichiro Suzuki (51) is greeted by pitcher Yusei Kikuchi (R) after being pulled in the eighth inning against the Oakland Athletics in the second game of the season-opening series at Tokyo Dome on March 21, 2019. The veteran outfielder announced his retirement later in the day. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

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Baseball: A's-Mariners opening series in Japan

Seattle Mariners outfielder Ichiro Suzuki (51) goes to embrace pitcher Yusei Kikuchi after being pulled in the eighth inning against the Oakland Athletics in the second game of the season-opening series at Tokyo Dome on March 21, 2019. The veteran outfielder announced his retirement later in the day. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

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Baseball: Iwase wins 1st monthly honor in 12 years

Hitoki Iwase of the Chunichi Dragons poses for a photo at Nagoya Dome on July 7, 2017, after winning the Central League Pitcher of the Month Award. The veteran reliever had 10 holds, one win and one save in June. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

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DeNA veteran pitcher Miura announces retirement

DeNA Baystars right-hander Daisuke Miura, the oldest active player in Nippon Professional Baseball at age 42, announces on Sept. 20, 2016, during a press conference in Yokohama, near Tokyo, that he will draw the curtain on his 25-year career after the end of the 2016 season. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

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DeNA veteran pitcher Miura announces retirement

DeNA Baystars right-hander Daisuke Miura, the oldest active player in Nippon Professional Baseball at age 42, announces on Sept. 20, 2016, during a press conference in Yokohama, near Tokyo, that he will draw the curtain on his 25-year career after the end of the 2016 season. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

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46-yr-old Kudo out of work with BayStars for next season

YOKOHAMA, Japan - Kimiyasu Kudo, a pitcher for the Yokohama BayStars and the oldest active player in Japanese baseball, speaks to reporters in Yokohama on Sept. 15, 2009 after the Central League baseball club announced it would release the 46-year-old veteran. (Kyodo)

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Yomiuri makes Kudo highest-paid pitcher in Japan

TOKYO, Japan - Yomiuri Giants veteran pitcher Kimiyasu Kudo gets into his car in front of the club office in Tokyo on Nov. 30 after re-signing with the Central League baseball club on a one-year deal. The 39-year-old left-hander will earn an estimated annual salary of 300 million yen, the highest among active pitchers in Japan. (Kyodo)

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Yomiuri pitcher Makihara to hang up glove

TOKYO, Japan - Veteran Yomiuri Giants pitcher Hiromi Makihara (file photo) said Sept. 28 in Tokyo that he will retire at the end of the season after 19 years with the Central League club. During his 20 years as a professional, Makihara notched 159 wins against 128 losses with 56 saves and a 3.19 earned run average.

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Utsugi greets team after 2-1 win over New Zealand

SYDNEY, Australia - Veteran Reika Utsugi (No. 28) reaches to shake hands with pitcher Taeko Ishikawa and first baseman Noriko Yamaji after Japan defeated New Zealand 2-1 on Sept. 23 to finish the Olympic softball preliminary tournament with a perfect 7-0 record.

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Workhorse Kudo in a groove at Yomiuri training camp+

MIYAZAKI, Japan - Yomiuri pitcher Kimiyasu Kudo, who signed with the Central League team in the off-season as a free agent, throws over 200 pitches on Feb. 11 in the bullpen at the Giants training facility in Miyazaki, western Japan. ''I wasn't planning on throwing that much today but I kind of got into a groove and started to feel stronger and stronger as I went along,'' said the veteran southpaw who is known for his rigorous workouts.

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Daiei owner apologizes to pitcher Kudo

TOKYO, Japan - Daiei Hawks owner Isao Nakauchi walks out of talks with pitcher Kimiyasu Kudo at Tokyo Dome on Nov. 3. Nakauchi apologized to the veteran southpaw over the displeasure he felt during the negotiation process for a new contract.