Sports · Baseball · 6 hrs ago
Giants appoint Takahashi as head coach and Shimizu as batting coach
The Yomiuri Giants are reshaping their coaching staff under new manager Hideki Matsui.
Former Giants player Yoshinobu Takahashi is set to become head coach, while Takayuki Shimizu will return as a first-team batting coach.
The three men played together as outfielders, and helped the Giants win Japan Series titles in 2000 and 2002.
Shimizu returns to the club as a coach for the first time since 2015; he won the 2002 most-hits title with 191 hits.
The appointments come as the Giants look to improve their hitting, after batting .234 and scoring 486 runs this season.
Takahashi has also managed the Giants, giving Matsui a colleague with team-leading experience.
Other staff changes include new roles for farm-team coaches, with Takuro Ishii becoming a roaming batting coach and Yuji Aida moving to manage the second team.
The changes are for next season, as Matsui works to build a staff focused on developing players and strengthening the team.
The Yomiuri Giants are bringing former player Takayuki Shimizu back as a batting coach for next season.
Former Giants manager Yoshinobu Takahashi is set to become head coach, supporting new manager Hideki Matsui.
Shimizu previously coached the Giants from 2011 to 2015 and is expected to return to the club after 12 years.
The appointments reunite Matsui, Takahashi and Shimizu, who played together as outfielders during the team’s successful years.
The Giants aim to improve their offense after finishing fourth in the league in batting average and third in runs scored this season.
- Who
- The Yomiuri Giants. Hideki Matsui is the new manager, with Yoshinobu Takahashi set to be head coach and Takayuki Shimizu batting coach.
- What
- The Giants are adding Takahashi as head coach and appointing Shimizu as batting coach.
- When
- The appointments were reported on October 29, 2026. The roles are for next season.
- Where
- Not stated
- Why
- The appointments are part of forming Matsui’s coaching staff. The Giants are also seeking to improve their offense.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Matsui said at his appointment press conference that choosing the coaching staff was an important first task.
Reports said Takahashi would become head coach and Shimizu would return as batting coach.
Shimizu is set to serve as a first-team batting coach, while Takahashi is set to be head coach.
- Takayuki Shimizu
- Set to return as Giants batting coach
- Yoshinobu Takahashi
- Set to become head coach
- Hideki Matsui
- New Giants manager
- Shimizu’s previous Giants coaching stint
- 2011–2015
- Giants team batting average
- .234, fourth in the league this season
- Giants runs scored
- 486, third in the league this season
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What people are saying
I want to create an environment where each player can grow.
I think it is the first important task. At present, I have approached only one person.