Seibu’s Sosuke Genda Under Fire for Tardiness and Preferential Treatment Amid Susukino Nightlife Rumors

“Only Genda-san”

Seibu surged into the A-class standings from the season opener but has slipped back into the B-class since the end of the interleague games in June. One of the team’s long-standing key players is infielder Sosuke Genda (32).

“In his eighth professional season last year, amidst a historically disastrous 91 losses, Genda played every game as captain. He posted the team’s highest batting average at .264 and won his seventh consecutive Golden Glove Award, tying for the league’s most. This season marks the third year of his five-year contract, and he reportedly earns the highest salary on the team—around 300 million yen,” said a former team official.

However, this season Genda has appeared in 68 games with a batting average of .220, no home runs, and 13 RBIs—results that don’t match his salary.

Reports of an affair with Ms. A, who works at a high-end club in Ginza, also shattered the image of Genda as a serious, hardworking player.

“The team had believed Genda to be a model of good conduct and was grooming him as a future manager and executive by signing him to a multi-year contract and keeping him playing. Moreover, they released Hotaka Yamakawa (33), who caused problems, through free agency, and trimmed the roster by cutting or trading several young players with behavioral issues to other teams, cleaning up the environment.

However, the front office completely misjudged Genda. The situation has escalated to the point where the parent company is now questioning who should be held responsible,” the source added.

What does completely misjudged mean exactly?

A Seibu team insider, speaking quietly, explained, “Genda’s ability to command the respect of younger players has declined.”

“Since the start of this season, he’s been late to team meetings multiple times. Being a veteran, manager Fumiya Nishiguchi (52) has been lenient, but Ryusei Satoh (28), who was also late during the March open games, was immediately demoted to the third team and later traded for cash to the Chunichi Dragons.

The team’s disciplinary measures are too lenient, and there are many voices of frustration saying, ‘It’s unfair that Genda gets special treatment even though he’s still out partying and has been late,'” the insider said.

There’s more information as well.

“They say out of sight, out of mind, but recently Genda has often been seen going out to new clubs in Susukino during away trips to Hokkaido. As a star player, he has social obligations, but partying with the same night butterflies involved in the previous scandal with Ms. A is careless,” said another team source.

If the leader who has supported the team through tough times becomes isolated, the damage to the new Seibu team would be immeasurable.