Seibu Lions: “The Man Who Lived Through the Golden Age”—Hitting Coach Yoshie Tachibana Discusses “The Reasons Behind the Improvement in Hitting” and His Confidence in a Comeback

“Can we make a comeback?”

The Saitama Seibu Lions had been struggling in recent years, finishing last in ’24 and fifth in ’25. However, this season, the team’s offense has undergone a significant transformation and continues to perform well.

One of the key figures behind this turnaround is hitting coach Yoshie Tachibana (67), who returned to the team last season.

Coach Tachibana, who had been coaching the Samsung Lions in South Korea since ’23, received an offer from the Saitama Seibu Lions just before the Korean League playoffs.

“Can you come back?”

Upon receiving this message from the team, he returned to his former club for the first time in 18 years.

“I never imagined I’d be coming back to the Lions. Anyway, I’m just going to do what I’ve always done,”

We spoke with Coach Tachibana about the reasons behind the team’s strong hitting and the “missing piece from the golden age” that the team still lacks.

When asked why the team’s offense has improved so much after emerging from a slump, Coach Tachibana explained

“Last year’s experience is paying off to some extent. Basically, we’ve gotten used to the first-team pitchers,”

he said, citing the players’ accumulated experience as the primary factor.

While technical instruction is certainly important, he says what he prioritizes most is the players’ ability to “make a decision” at the plate.

“When you’re in the batter’s box, you don’t have time to be thinking, ‘Should I do this? Or that?’ So, the most important thing is whether you can make a decisive decision when a pitch comes in a certain spot or type. Since this is the first team, we basically have to make quick adjustments on the fly.Today, for example, I’ll tell them to focus on ‘just swinging their hands.’ Since 150-kilometer-per-hour pitches are coming at them, there’s no time to give multiple instructions. I tell them to focus on whether their hands are moving when they see the ball, and to adopt this mindset for that purpose.”

He also cites the “depth of the roster and competition” brought by the addition of Masashi Kuwahara (32) and Kazunari Ishii (32)—who joined via free agency—as a major factor in changing the team’s mindset.

“Unfortunately, we’ve had a lot of players who haven’t built up much of a career so far. Then Kuwahara and Ishii—who have both been absolute starters—joined us. If that makes the younger players think, ‘We have to fight our way into the lineup,’ I want to teach them how to do that.”

Regarding Kuwahara—the “Guts Man” who led the team in the first half of the season, including maintaining a batting average above .300 until he was injured on April 21—

“His attitude toward hitting is truly amazing,”

he praised him highly.

It’s like a grandfather and grandson having a conversation

“Don’t just watch the pitch—go after it. Sure, there will be strikeouts and foul balls, but that kind of attitude is absolutely crucial. If you just keep saying, ‘Wait, wait,’ you’ll be backed into a corner in the blink of an eye.”

What symbolizes this season’s Lions is the rise of their young talent.

Among the young outfielders—who were once mockingly called the “Dongリーズ” by fans, a play on the Japanese word for acorns (“donguri”)—Shinya Hasegawa (24) led the Interleague Play in hits and won the MVP award, instantly becoming the symbol of the team’s slogan, “Break Through.”Coach Tachibana had already noticed the change in him on the very first day of spring training.

“On the first day of camp this year, I saw him hitting in the indoor practice facility and thought, ‘He’s clearly different from last year.’I told him, ‘You’re hitting the ball well.’ Because he has a deep swing, his hands seem to glide through the ball. Since he can use his hands effectively, he can shorten and lengthen his swing, or make compact swings. Until last year, his body would lag behind, resulting in pop-ups to the opposite field, but this year, his hands are moving fast, so he can turn the ball into a home run in the direction he hits it.”

He also commented on Natsuo Takizawa (22), who is posting excellent batting statistics with a batting average over .300 (as of July 15) as the No. 2 hitter:

“Natsuo has always had the power to swing,”

“

“Last year, I told him, ‘Just because you’re fast doesn’t mean you have to force yourself to hit only toward shortstop—it’s okay to pull the ball, too.’ If he pulls the ball and ends up overswinging, he can just think, ‘Next time, I’ll aim for shortstop or third base.’ By building his approach that way, his perspective broadens. That’s the kind of conversation we’re having.”

His enthusiastic interactions with the young players have been described on social media as

“It’s like a grandfather talking to his grandson,”

. This interaction also includes a sternness meant to instill in them a sense of responsibility as first-team regulars.

He shared an anecdote about a time when Takizawa—who was feeling down after failing to get a hit—tried to skip the post-game high-five, but Takizawa called him back.

“‘You can’t do that,’ I told him. I explained that just by playing in the game, he’s already fulfilling his responsibility, so he needs to properly celebrate the team’s victory. It’s not just Natsuo—Hasegawa is the same—but the young players who are on the field have to carry the weight of the team on their shoulders. Just because he didn’t get a hit doesn’t mean he can have that kind of attitude. I had that conversation with him with the future in mind.”

Furthermore, one of the Lions’ defining characteristics this season is the extremely high batting average of their catchers.In addition to the improved hitting of Yuto Koga (26) and Sena Tsuge (29), the synergistic effect of the addition of first-round draft pick Taiga Kojima (22) has been significant.

Mr. Tabuchi really drives the team forward,

“Since catchers have so much to do and it’s really tough, I basically just tell them, ‘Just have fun at the plate.’I don’t get into the nitty-gritty of batting. Right now, both Koga and Kojima are batting high in the lineup. Kojima is great at timing his swings; he can hit breaking balls and fastballs with the same fluidity. He’s patient at the plate, which is why he puts up solid numbers, and he has a keen eye. It’s a pleasure to watch him at the plate.”

Coach Tachibana, who experienced the Saitama Seibu Lions’ golden age as a player, witnessed the rise of young talents like Hiroyuki Nakajima, Takeya Nakamura (42), and Takumi Kuriyama (42) during his coaching tenure from 2004 to 2007, even as stars like Cabrera and Kazuhiro Wada moved on.When asked what the current Lions are missing to build another golden era, he answered without hesitation: “Experience” and “the mindset to lead the team.”

“During what’s called the golden era, we won when we absolutely couldn’t afford to lose. The current players haven’t experienced that yet.During my playing days, proven veterans like Koichi Tabuchi were about a generation older than me; they led us with full force, and I just followed along. Amid that, I competed for a starting spot, trying my best to break into the lineup. I played thinking, ‘If the guy next to me is on the first team, I won’t make it up there.’”

From 1977 to 1991, when Coach Tachibana played for the Lions, “legendary managers” such as Rikuo Nemoto, Tatsuro Hirooka, and Yoshiaki Mori led the team, winning eight league championships and seven Japan Series titles. It was truly a “golden age.”

“Right now, there aren’t that many players who can really take the team by the scruff of the neck and lead it forward. Kuwahara has joined us, and Sosuke Genda (33) is working hard too. But players like Aiya Nishikawa (27), Seiya Watanabe (23), Takizawa, and Hasegawa—these young guys are already regulars.It might be tough, but I want those young players to gain experience and develop the mindset to lead the team.”

The team’s atmosphere itself isn’t bad at all. On the contrary,

“This year, the bench players have been cheering loudly, and since everyone is focused on the game, we’re seeing immediate results even from pinch hitters and pinch runners,”

he said, sensing a strong sense of unity on the bench.

Finally, when asked, “Will the Lions’ golden age return?” Coach Tachibana concluded with a determined look in his eyes.

“I really want to make this team strong. After all, the Lions are known for being ‘strong.’ We’ve played under that pressure ourselves, and we’ve felt that pressure even in practice. We have to have the strong will to overcome it. That’s why I tell the young players they need to have that mindset. If we become stronger on the inside, the Lions will become even stronger.”

“Legend” Kuriyama, who reached 2,000 career hits this season, is retiring. When the veteran who leads the team and the young players—who are showing momentum strong enough to surpass him—join forces, the Lions should be able to “overcome” other teams and stand at the pinnacle of the Pacific League and all of Japan—