Lotte New Manager Candidate — Coach Tomohiro Kuroki Rapidly Rises, Rumors of Father–Daughter Set Plan

The leading candidate is Saburo

In the Pacific League, Chiba Lotte has fallen 26 games behind the first-place SoftBank Hawks. Since 2023, manager Masato Yoshii (60) has been leading the team, but executives are reportedly scrambling to find his successor. The leading candidate is current head coach Saburo (49).

“Head coach Saburo played for both Lotte and the Giants during his career. He was extremely popular with fans, and he is also trusted by the wife of a team executive who has influence over personnel decisions, which makes him a strong candidate. There are also voices supporting Kazuya Fukuura (49), manager of the second team and a Lotte lifer. Both men had solid track records as players, but when it comes to nationwide popularity that’s another story.

Last year, thanks to Roki Sasaki (23), season seat sales were strong, with an average attendance of over 27,000 per game. But this year, with the team struggling, season seat contracts are expected to drop for next season. That’s why a manager who can draw in fans is indispensable.” (Team insider)

The third man to emerge as a candidate is first team pitching coach Tomohiro Kuroki (51), according to the insider. Nicknamed “Johnny” in his playing days, he was a popular nationwide figure, and after retiring he also coached with Nippon-Ham, building up solid coaching experience.

“He was already nationally popular as a player. Even as a commentator, his talks sprinkled with his native Miyazaki dialect gained him fans. His daughter, Mei Kuroki (26), who cheered in high school, worked as an official Lotte cheer performer before switching to a talent career this year.

Despite being only 153 cm tall, her powerful dancing makes her a fan favorite, and she’s often invited to baseball-related events. The team might see promoting the Kuroki father-daughter duo, including appearances on variety shows, as a way to attract new fans.” (Same insider)

That said, no matter how popular the manager is, if the team he leads is weak, the fans will drift away.

“Sure, a manager who draws fans is nice, but first and foremost, they must pick a manager who can win. Instead of focusing on off-season TV strategy, the executives should be thinking about how to develop players who can become nationwide stars” (Another team insider)

Who will end up leading Lotte next season?