Rakuten Eagles will appoint former Lotte manager Masato Yoshii (61) as their new manager. A formal announcement is expected soon. This comes about a week after manager Hajime Miki (49) announced he would be taking a leave of absence, and the team has now brought in a manager from outside. The team held a full practice today and then traveled to Hanshin Tigers Koshien for their game against Hanshin on the 17th. Rakuten Eagles beat reporter Kota Miyauchi "predicts" the changes that will be brought about by the new manager.

There's a possibility the team's situation could improve. The sudden appointment of a new manager shows the club's seriousness and expectations for Mr. Yoshii. Changing managers mid-season is extremely unusual. Negotiations proceeded behind the scenes after Manager Miki took a leave of absence, and a new manager was brought in. This shows their determination not to let this season end like this and their resolve to rebuild the team.

In the midst of a difficult situation where the team is languishing at the bottom of the league, attention is focused on Mr. Yoshii's exceptional ability to develop pitcher. As a pitcher coach for Nippon-Ham, he has nurtured players like Yu Darvish (Padres) and Shohei Ohtani (Dodgers). He possesses a wealth of knowledge and experience.

Last season, Rakuten Eagles had no pitcher who reached the required innings pitched pitched, and their highest number of win was 7. While pitcher staff is showing signs of improvement this season, the team's ERA is still a tough 3.61. However, they are not lacking in talent. With many talented young players such as Shoji, Koja, Uchi, and Fujiwara, there is a possibility that they will all flourish under Yoshii's guidance to bring out the individual abilities of each player.

He is expected to take charge from the game against Lotte on the 19th (at ZOZO Marine Stadium). His approach to player selection will undoubtedly change, and the players' sense of competition will surely increase. His cheerful personality and leadership may drastically change the team's atmosphere and future. (Rakuten Eagles correspondent: Kota Miyauchi)