Hideo Nomo posted an 18.69 ERA in three relief appearances with the Royals. (Orlin Wagner/Associated Press)Kansas City Royals pitcher Hideo Nomo was released Tuesday, likely ending his major-league career.
Nomo, 39, was designated for assignment April 20, giving the Royals 10 days to trade him or release him.
The Japanese right-hander was raked for nine runs on 10 hits, including three home runs, in just 4 1/3 innings out of the bullpen.
He walked four batters and struck out three.
Nomo had not pitched in the majors since 2005, when he posted a 5-8 mark in 19 starts with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
Nomo is 123-109 overall with a 4.24 earned-run average and 16 complete games in 323 appearances (318 starts) over 12 MLB seasons for the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, Milwaukee Brewers, Detroit Tigers, Boston Red Sox, Devil Rays and Royals.
He was named the National League's rookie of the year in 1995, when he went 13-6 with 236 strikeouts in 191-1/3 innings.
Nomo, famous for the unique hesitation in his windup, hurled two no-hitters in the majors — 9-0 over the Colorado Rockies on Sept. 17, 1996, and 3-0 over the Baltimore Orioles in his Red Sox debut on April 4, 2001.
He was the fourth pitcher in history to toss a no-hitter in both the American and National League, joining Cy Young, Jim Bunning and Nolan Ryan.
With files from the Associated Press
