Rakuten Eagles officially announced on the 17th that former Lotte manager Masato Yoshii (61) will be taking over as their new manager. Owner Hiroshi Mikitani (61) also attended the press conference held in Sendai. Yoshii, who accepted the unusual mid-season appointment and signed a multi-year contract, expressed his determination to rebuild the team, saying, "I will put everything into it and do my best." Owner Mikitani explained the background of the recruitment and spoke passionately about his desire to create the "strongest team." The new system will restart with the game against Lotte on the 19th (at ZOZO Marine Stadium).

A determined look befitting a competitor was evident on the face of the new manager, Yoshii. At his inaugural press conference, he was entrusted with this heavy responsibility at an unusual time, with the team languishing in last place. "It's a tough situation, but I believe this team has potential. I will pour all my experience and knowledge into this and do my best," he declared.

It was a shocking development. On the 10th, it was announced that former manager Miki would be taking a leave of absence. With Shiokawa serving as acting manager, the team will restart under a new manager. Owner Mikitani, who was present at the press conference for the first time since Senichi Hoshino in 2010, explained the reason for changing managers during the season, saying, "I want to show everyone that we are serious." He revealed the background, saying, "We cannot build a consistently strong team unless we make reforms in the medium to long term, not just focusing on this year's results."

Why Yoshihito Yoshii? The reason lies in the new manager's "winner's DNA" and "translation ability." He has played in both Japan and the US, winning the Japanese championship three times. He managed the Lotte Marines and coached the Samurai Japan team to a world championship. He is knowledgeable and has a deep understanding of cutting-edge baseball. Owner Mikitani passionately explains, "Baseball is evolving around data. We need a translator who can translate data into strategy. We needed someone like Yoshii who has experienced the world as a player and has actually managed a team. Another important thing is a winner's mentality. We want him to instill that."

The new manager was moved by his enthusiasm. The offer came in the middle of the season. Yoshii was also surprised. "It was like, 'What?'" He had doubts, but he made up his mind. "The main reason was that owner Mikitani was so enthusiastic in inviting me. I felt the strength of his passion for baseball. I knew I had to accept." He made up his mind.

Owner Mikitani, who made the offer "with no expectation of success," expressed his gratitude, saying, "He accepted what was essentially a risky move." He signed a multi-year contract with the new manager, describing it as "medium- to long-term." "We will make significant investments in all aspects going forward to create the strongest team." He will provide strong support to build a consistently winning team.

The new manager, who will wear number "81," will make his debut against the Lotte Marines on the 19th (at ZOZO Marine Stadium). His opponent will be his former team, where he previously managed. "I was looking forward to seeing the growth of the players I worked with, but I'll accept that. I'll go in and beat them as the enemy." The counterattack will begin with the new manager. (Kota Miyauchi)

An interview with owner Mikitani

—What was the reason for offering the position to new manager Yoshii?

"As a coach for Samurai Japan, he contributed to their world championship victory. This is a bit of an inside story, but I actually had the opportunity to speak with (Samurai Japan) manager Hideki Kuriyama at that time, and he spoke very highly of Mr. Yoshii. Not only does he have experience, but he also holds a master's degree from the University of Tsukuba, so he has studied coaching theory not only on the field but also theoretically. He is the right person to build the foundation of the team."

—Within Rakuten Eagles Group, Vissel Kobe soccer team is becoming a consistently winning team.

"Vissel Kobe has also experienced tough times, including being relegated twice, but in the last four years, they have evolved into a strong team, winning the national championship three times. It wasn't just about simple strengthening; it was also about strengthening the team's culture and mentality, among other things. We will make use of that experience."

—There have been frequent changes in managers in a short period of time.

"The team still lacks talent, and it's still difficult to promote people from within. The only people who served as managers for a long period were Katsuya Nomura and Senichi Hoshino. After that, people have worked hard, but partly due to our own shortcomings, we haven't been able to have them serve as managers for a long time."

—Will there be any possibility of expanding Manager Yoshii's discretion in team organization?

"The decision needs to be made by the entire organization. We will respect Director Yoshii's opinion, and then we will have a thorough discussion as an organization before adopting it."

〇... Rakuten Eagles announced that manager Hajime Miki (49), who had been on leave since the 10th, will be stepping down. With the appointment of new manager Yoshii, acting manager Tatsuya Shiokawa (43) will return as head coach, and chief coach Yasunaga Makishi (66) will return as development coach. It has also been decided that pitcher coach Koji Aoyama (42) will change number to "82". Owner Mikitani offered words of farewell, saying, "I would like to express my gratitude to Mr. Miki for leading the team up until now."