Shohei Ohtani to announce shock retirement?

Sad news for Ohtani fans. Speculation had been rife that the Japanese baseball player will announce his retirement from all public activities, at age 32, with immediate effect.

UPDATE 19/08/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Being a baseball player isn't fun anymore

“As we get older, there are phases of life that we enter into, and being a baseball player just isn't fun anymore,” he might have said, says a source who remained anonymous. Other reports hinted that he may branch out into other creative fields he is better at (and more interested in), though they didn't provide any details.

#ThankYouShohei

For a little while on Tuesday evening, #ThankYouShohei was a trending hashtag on Twitter. As many fans reminisce and look back on all the unforgettable memories, some may wonder what about now made him make the decision.

“You’ve accomplished everything I ever dreamed of #ThankYouShohei.”
— @DesireePlum, 18 Aug 2026

“Didn't Shohei Ohtani retire about 3 years ago?”
— @samy2love, 18 Aug 2026

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