After three MLB seasons, free agent reliever Yoshihisa Hirano returned to his first pro team, Nippon Professional Baseball's Orix Buffaloes, the Pacific League club said Saturday.
The 36-year-old signed a one-year deal with the Seattle Mariners in January 2020. He went 0-1 with four saves and a 5.84 ERA last season in 13 games after missing most of summer camp with a coronavirus infection.
Hirano began his MLB career with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2018 after leaving Orix as a free agent. He is 9-9 with eight saves over three big league seasons with a 3.69 ERA in 150 games.
The right-hander joined Orix in 2006. Hirano was named the PL's best middle reliever in 2011 and led the league with 40 saves in 2014.
Hirano signed a one-year deal with Orix worth a reported ¥150 million yen ($1.4 million) plus bonuses. In NPB, he has a 48-69 career record with 156 saves and a 3.10 ERA in 549 games, all with Orix.