Softbank announced its coaching staff for the upcoming season on April 7. Head Coach Hiroshi Narahara (57) retired, leaving the position vacant. Second-team hitting coach Arito Muramatsu (52) was reassigned as the first-team fielder chief coach. Skills Coach Yuya Hasegawa (40) will also take over the first-team hitting department.
Kazumi Saito (47), the third-team manager, and Motoi Ogoshi (54), the fourth-team manager, have been promoted to second-team and third-team managers, respectively. There will be no fourth-team manager, and fourth-team infield defense base running coach Takashi Sasagawa (46) will take over as chief, imposing a menu centered on practice rather than actual games.
Related News
・ [Hiroshima] Batting coaches Hisaki Fukuchi and Ryota Arai are being transferred to the first team as part of a major staff shuffle announced for next season.
・ [Softbank] First-team batting coach Takayuki Murakami leaves the team; head coach Hiroshi Narahara is pending a response regarding reassignment
・ [Orix] Contracts renewed with all coaches of the first and second teams. Manager Haru will become the first team head coach, and head coach Mizumoto will become a traveling coach for the first and second teams.
・ [Orix] Announces next season's team lineup. For the first time in two years, the coaching staff will no longer have first and second team titles. Toshio Haru will become head coach.
・ [Lotte] Announcement of next season's coaching staff: Hiroyuki Kobayashi appointed as first-team pitcher coach, Yoshinori Tateyama appointed as first-team pitcher coordinator
