35-year-old Japanese baseball legend, Ayami Sato, has been playing professionally for over a decade. Recently, she made history as the first woman to play in a professional men’s baseball league in Canada.
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Sato, a six-time Women’s Baseball World Cup medalist and three-time Most Valuable Player, was signed in December 2024 and began training with the team.
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On Sunday, May 11, 2025, she debuted as the starting pitcher for the Toronto Maple Leafs Baseball Club during their 2025 home opener in the Intercounty Baseball League.
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“I hope that young girls who want to play baseball will be encouraged by my performance,” Sato commented.
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h/t: CTV
Photos: Toronto Maple Leafs
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