*This content was translated by AI.
Japanese baseball is already looking two years later, leaving behind the disappointment of eliminating the 2026 WBC (World Baseball Classic) quarterfinals. As baseball returns to an official event at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, Hamapyeong, the next head coach to lead the Japanese national baseball team, is hotter than ever. In particular, legends that are excited just by the name appear in the front of the candidate group, raising fans' expectations. Hideki Matsui (52) and Suzuki Ichiro (53), who left a mark in the Major League, were at the same time.
The Japanese weekly 'Flash' selected a group of candidates for the next director in a book published on April 7. According to a survey and reports based on local coverage, the top candidate with overwhelming support is by far "Godzilla" Matsui.
Matsui, who played for the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) Yomiuri Giants when he was active, entered the Major League ahead of the 2003 season. He is a former big shot who has 175 home runs in 1,236 major league games through the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Angels, Athletics (then Oakland) and Tampa Bay Rays. The Major League's overall batting average reached 0.282, and the on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS) was 0.822.
Matsui, who is classified as a legend by contributing to the New York Yankees' 2009 World Series victory, received unrivaled reviews in the U.S. local network and symbolism. In particular, after the elimination of the WBC quarterfinals, Matsui's general theory is gaining strength as the voices of the baseball community have grown that "we need a person with strong leadership and international status." Matsui himself avoided answering Hamapyeong in a recent interview, but the Japanese baseball community seems to see Matsui as the best card for the "Gold medal in the U.S. mainland."
Ichiro, the "Forever Captain," was selected as Matsui's opponent. Analysts say that the perfectionism and charisma he has shown since his days as a player are enough to set the discipline of the current national team. Although there are concerns that he has little leadership experience, analysts say that the symbolism given by the name "Ichiro" alone is enough to control the team.
There are also many voices who want an actual head coach. Former coach Gu Kimiyasu (63), who led Softbank to its fourth consecutive win in the Japan Series, is a representative example. It is classified as the most stable option to perform in NPB due to data baseball and short-term competition. On top of that, rumors of the return of former national team coach Hideki Kuriyama (65), who wrote the myth of winning the 2023 WBC, are rising, and Hamapyeong is forming a "all-time" lineup.
At the 2026 WBC, Japan lost its pride with its worst ever record of the quarterfinals under Ibata Hirokazu (51). Therefore, the key keywords for the appointment of the next coach are considered to be "restoration of honor" and "Olympic gold medal." It is urgent to win a ticket to the Olympic finals at the Premier 12 to be held in 2027.
Above all, since it is the Olympics that will be held during the 2028 season, it is highly likely that a large number of major league stars will participate, so there is a weighty voice to appoint a coach who can unite Japanese major league players, including Shohei Ohtani (32, LA Dodgers).
The race for the next head coach of Japanese baseball, which is as hot as its name. Attention is focusing on who can take the helm of Samurai Japan and restore his honor.
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*This content was translated by AI.
