It was a remarkable send off for a player who truly was remarkable.
In his final professional game, Nori Aoki went 2-for-4 including a double, propelling the Tokyo Yakult Swallows to a 5-3 win over the Hiroshima Toyo Carp.
Aoki was greeted before his retirement game by a large crowd looking to send off the fan favorite in style. He first repaid the fans’ loyalty by slicing a single to left field in the second inning before adding a double as the finishing touch on a memorable night in Tokyo.
Born in Hyuga, Miyazaki, Japan, Aoki made his Major League Baseball debut in 2012 with Milwaukee. He played six years in North America, totaling 10.3 WAR and adding 774 career hits while playing for seven different teams, and was a significant contributor to the Kansas City Royals’ 2014 World Series championship.
Although he was best known for his slick defense in the outfield, Aoki was also the first Japanese-born pitcher in Astros history. He induced Aaron Judge to fly out in his lone career pitching appearance.
Over 15 career seasons in Nippon Professional Baseball, all with the Swallows, he had 1,954 hits, a .313 batting average, and stole 177 bases.
Photos: Houston Astros left fielder Norichika Aoki was brought in to pitch in the ninth inning during a MLB baseball game between the Houston Astros and the New York Yankees on June 30, 2017 at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Tex. It was the only pitching appearance of Aoki’s career. (Photo by Juan DeLeon/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
