Hideki Matsui Returns as Special Coach for Giants After Six Years

Jan 30, 2024 | News On Japan

TOKYO - Hideki Matsui, star of the Yomiuri Giants and the New York Yankees, will serve as a special coach for the Giants' spring training camp in Miyazaki starting February 1st, making his first comeback to the coaching arena in six years.

The Giants, aiming to bounce back from two consecutive fourth-place finishes, will begin their spring camp under new manager Shinnosuke Abe on February 1st in Miyazaki City. One of the key objectives for the camp is to strengthen their young players, and on the 30th, the team announced that Matsui will be serving as a special coach from February 10th to 13th, providing guidance to the players. This will be the fourth time Matsui has taken on the role of a special coach for the Giants, and the first in six years.

Among the Giants' players is 21-year-old Yuto Akihiro, a fourth-year pro who hit 10 home runs last season while wearing Matsui's former number "55," and Makoto Kadowaki, a second-year player striving to secure his position as the regular shortstop. Both are promising left-handed hitters, much like Matsui was. The baseball community is eagerly anticipating what kind of coaching Matsui will bring to the camp after such a long absence.

Source: NHK

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