Hideo Nomo posted an 18.69 ERA in three relief appearances with the Royals. (Orlin Wagner/Associated Press)

Pitcher Hideo Nomo, who dazzled with a deceptive delivery and a devasting forkball, confirmed Thursday that he has retired.

Nomo, 39, was released April 10 by the Kansas City Royals.

The Japanese right-hander suffered a groin injury in spring training and never fully recovered as he was raked for nine runs on 10 hits, including three home runs, in just 4 1/3 innings out of the bullpen.

"He still had the motivation to pitch, so we were more than willing to give him an opportunity," Royals general manager Drayton Moore said. "If he hadn't hurt his groin, who knows what he might have accomplished with us this year?"

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.

But he retires with 123 wins — a major-league record for a Japanese hurler.

"He pioneered the Japanese players' transition to the United States," Moore said. "He was one of the dominant pitchers of his era."

'He was a workhorse'

Nomo went 123-109 lifetime with a 4.24 earned-run average and 16 complete games in 323 appearances (318 starts) over 12 MLB seasons for the 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 with Los Angeles in 1995, when he went 13-6 with 236 strikeouts in 191 1/3 innings.

"He was a workhorse as a pitcher," said Tommy Lasorda, who skippered the Dodgers in 1995.

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.

"Nobody alive today can throw a no-hitter in Colorado — and he did," Lasorda said. "I know he will be inducted into the Japanese Hall of Fame and I hope he is inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

"He is a pioneer. He deserves all the recognition in the world."

With files from the Associated Press