Yoshihisa Hirano ended his career the way Orix Buffaloes fans had seen him finish so many outings, striking out fellow retiring veteran Akira Nakamura on a splitter in the dirt.

Having already announced his retirement at the conclusion of the season in August, the 42-year-old right-hander entered Friday’s game against the pennant-winning Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks in the ninth inning and registered the 1,001st and final strikeout of his Nippon Professional Baseball career.

He then shook hands with his infielders and manager before leaving the mound at Kyocera Dome Osaka. Orix lost the game, 9-0.

Hirano joined Orix out of Kyoto Sangyo University in the 2005 NPB Draft. He began his professional career as a starter, winning his first start and throwing a shutout in his second.

After a few unremarkable seasons, he moved to the bullpen in 2010 and became one of NPB's most dependable late-inning arms, first as a setup man and later as the team's closer. He led the Pacific League with 40 saves in 2014 and made six appearances for Samurai Japan at the 2017 World Baseball Classic.

Following the 2017 campaign, Hirano left for Major League Baseball as an international free agent at the age of 34. He spent two years with the Arizona Diamondbacks and one with the Seattle Mariners. His best season came in 2018, when he posted a 2.44 ERA and 32 holds in 75 appearances for Arizona, setting a single-season MLB record for a Japanese pitcher. He finished his Big League tenure with a 3.69 ERA and eight saves in 150 games.

Hirano returned to Orix in 2021 and reclaimed the closer’s job. He contributed to the Buffaloes winning three consecutive Pacific League pennants and their first Japan Series title in 26 years alongside superstars Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Masataka Yoshida.

He lost the closer job early in 2024, and his role subsequently diminished in his final seasons. Still, Hirano reached 250 NPB saves in 2025 and served as a player-coach throughout 2026, though he made only two NPB appearances prior to his retirement game. He finishes with 703 NPB games, a 2.98 ERA, 250 saves, and 157 holds.

During Friday’s postgame ceremony, video messages from Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo and Yamamoto congratulating Hirano on his retirement drew cheers from the crowd.

Hirano will go down as one of the most successful Japanese relievers in modern history, with a short but solid MLB stint, a Japan Series ring, and a place among NPB’s career saves leaders.