Rough Around the Edges No More? Abe’s Image Makeover Underway

“Abe Is Being Misunderstood”

On November 23, at the Tokyo Dome’s “Giants Fan Festa 2025,” a retirement ceremony was held for Hisayoshi Chono (40), who will be hanging up his uniform at the end of this season. Infielder Hayato Sakamoto (36), who looked up to Chono, and Giants manager Shinnosuke Abe (46) presented him with bouquets, both moved to tears.

“It’s quite rare to see Abe shed tears in public. That shows how much he trusted Chono. Behind the scenes, Abe reportedly tried to persuade Chono to take on a coaching role next season, but Chono, thinking about his future, declined, citing plans to enter graduate school.

With key staff like first-team hitting coach Tomohiro Nioka (49) and second-team manager Masumi Kuwata (57) stepping down during the offseason, not being able to bring Chono on board must be a real blow for Abe,” said a former team official.

With his supporting head coach and second-team manager gone, and main slugger Kazuma Okamoto (29) attempting to move to the majors via posting, the outlook for next season—the final year of Abe’s three-year contract—is far from bright.

“At the fan festival, during the manager’s greeting, some sharp heckles came from the audience. Abe has a rough side, often refusing postgame interviews out of frustration with poor performances, so compared to his predecessor Tatsunori Hara (67), he may not be as popular among fans,” the official added.

However, with Abe determined to face next season head-on, the team has begun efforts to improve his image.

“Fans have sent messages to the team asking if something could be done about Abe’s language. Honestly, it’s a bit intrusive, but the staff can’t ignore fan feedback, so they’ve gently encouraged Abe to adjust his tone.

Abe may seem intimidating at times, but he is loyal and cares for his players—a big-brother figure whom many respect. There are strong voices saying, ‘Abe is being misunderstood.’

The media is cooperating with this image-up initiative, and Abe has begun toning down his signature blunt, rough-talking style, gradually shifting to more polite expressions like ‘~desu’ and ‘~masu.’ The manager himself, the team staff, and the media in charge are all working together—‘Team Abe’ is aiming for a complete image makeover.”