The “Behind-the-Scenes Work” Entrusted to Chunichi’s New Manager Kudo… The “Motives of Each Team” Stirring Behind the Scenes of the Japan Series [Central League Edition]
Pro Baseball Offseason Wide [Part 2]
Chunichi’s New Manager Kudo, Entrusted with Rebuilding the Team
The Japan Series—featuring the SoftBank Hawks, aiming for back-to-back championships with their rock-solid strength, and the DeNA BayStars, who finished third in the Central League but won six straight games in the Climax Series and are aiming for their first “underdog Japan Series title” in two years—is finally set to begin on October 24.The remaining 10 teams have wrapped up their draft meetings and have begun building their rosters for next season, each with their own strategic goals in mind.
Let’s turn our attention to the Central League. The Chunichi Dragons, languishing in last place, have entrusted the task of rebuilding the team to new manager Kimiyasu Kudo (63). It is said that the club has entrusted Manager Kudo with a certain “behind-the-scenes task.”
“Compared to other teams, the Chunichi Dragons overwhelmingly often promise post-retirement careers to certain players, such as first-round draft picks and long-serving veterans. For example, former player Shinichi Kondo (58) served as a coach and scout from 1995—the year after his retirement—through 2021.Due to these ‘special agreements,’ many people remain with the club—not just as coaches but also in behind-the-scenes roles—and the team is known for being strict with outsiders.
Mr. Kudo surely wanted to overhaul this system “unique” to the Chunichi Dragons, but the team reportedly requested that he “accept this system and, in fact, help develop a coaching staff composed of the team’s alumni.”Mr. Kudo agreed to this behind-the-scenes arrangement and told the media, “We won’t be bringing in all our coaches from outside,” emphasizing his commitment to working with the alumni.” (Team alumnus)
In contrast to Manager Kudo is Yakult’s Takahiro Ikeyama (60), who has been confirmed to remain in his position for next season. Although his team was in contention for first place during the first half of the season, they lost momentum significantly in the second half and finished the season in fifth place.
“The club is considering appointing General Manager Nobukata Aoki (44) as manager in the near future. While it remains to be seen if this will work out, it seems they intend to entrust Mr. Ikeyama with developing young players capable of batting in the cleanup spot, so that he can hand the reins over to GM Aoki in the best possible condition,” said a former team player.
With former manager Shinnosuke Abe (47) arrested mid-season, all 11 teams other than the Giants are closely watching the future of interim manager Hideki Hashigami (60), who took over the team.
“In terms of roster strength, it wouldn’t have been surprising if the Giants had finished in the B Class, but the fact that they didn’t let the Hanshin Tigers run away with the league is entirely thanks to Mr. Hashigami. He’s a rare motivator and is well-versed in all kinds of data; if he were to leave the Giants, every team would want him.The Giants understand this as well, so even after a new manager is appointed, they will likely offer Mr. Hashigami a key position.” (Central League personnel official)
Instruction from the Owner to “Change His Image”
Hiroshima manager Takahiro Arai (49), who was retained to help the team recover from the “zombie cigarette” scandal—an incident that shook the baseball world so much it overshadowed the news of former Giants manager Abe’s arrest—continues to face challenges.
“It seems that former owner Gen Matsuda (75) told Mr. Arai, ‘You look gloomy. To restore the team’s image, I want you to treat the team like family and create a cheerful atmosphere next season, just as you did in your first year on the job.’Since former player Ryutaro Hazuki (26) was arrested this past January, Arai has transformed into a “drill sergeant” in an effort to rectify the team’s lax atmosphere. Although he is known for his gentle nature, he treated the players strictly, telling himself, ‘It’s for the sake of the Carp.’
“However, not only was he not allowed to resign despite expressing his intention to do so three times, but less than a year after the scandal, top management demanded another shift in policy. I can’t help but feel sorry for Mr. Arai, who continues to be at the mercy of the team’s circumstances,” said a team official.
Although the Hanshin Tigers achieved the historic feat of winning back-to-back league titles for the first time in franchise history, they ended the season after suffering four straight losses to DeNA in the Climax Series and now find themselves in a precarious situation.This is because, on October 21, Triple Crown winner Teruaki Sato (27) announced he would challenge the Major Leagues via the posting system, and two coaches—Chief Hitting Coach Eiichi Kotani (46), who guided the position players, and General Coach Atsushi Fujimoto (49)—left the team.
“Manager Kyuji Fujikawa (46) had envisioned a blueprint at the start of the season of running away with the league title and then winning the Japan Series, but the Giants proved tougher than expected, and with each passing game, he became increasingly unable to hide his impatience. Even when those around him tried to stop him, he continued to check social media and news reports, growing more and more frustrated each time.It’s said that whenever the batting lineup’s slump persisted, he would summon Mr. Kotano and Mr. Fujimoto and yell at them. The severe stress they endured is said to have been one of the reasons for their departure.
The fact that Mr. Kotani was vague about his reason for leaving, citing “personal reasons,” was likely a small gesture of consideration toward the manager who had brought him to the Hanshin Tigers.“Last season, Akira Kanemura (50), the first-team pitching coach, who had clashed over coaching philosophy, made a sudden departure, and under Fujikawa’s one-man regime, coaches tend to have short tenures,” said a former team official.
The impact of Coach Kotano’s departure, in particular, is immeasurable.
“It was Mr. Kotano who brought out the best in Shota Morishita (26), who experiences extreme emotional ups and downs. He nurtured the young slugger with care—even taking the lead in protesting when Morishita was hit by a pitch—and Morishita looked up to him greatly. With Sato moving to the majors, it’s inevitable that Morishita will be closely marked next season.“Without Mr. Kotani’s support, will he be able to perform as well as he did this season?” (Ibid.)
Which team will prevail in the off-season battle and claim the title of Japan’s best next season?
From the November 6, 2026 issue of *FRIDAY*
PHOTO： Kyodo News