Hideki Matsui Returns to Yomiuri Giants as Manager on Three-Year Deal

Hideki Matsui is returning to the Yomiuri Giants as manager, 24 years after leaving the club for Major League Baseball. The Japanese baseball icon was introduced in Tokyo on Friday, October 23, 2026, on a three-year contract, with the task of bringing the Giants back to the top of Nippon Professional Baseball.

Matsui, 52, will wear No. 90 and begin leading the team on October 30, when the Giants start their autumn training program. His appointment brings one of Japan’s most recognizable baseball figures back to the organization where he became a star.

A Giants homecoming after 24 years

Matsui spent 10 seasons with Yomiuri from 1993 through 2002 before joining the New York Yankees. Known as “Godzilla,” the left-handed slugger hit 332 home runs in NPB and another 175 in MLB, finishing with 507 across the two leagues. His American career included the 2009 World Series MVP award with the Yankees.

At Friday’s introduction, Matsui recalled how difficult it had been to leave the Giants after the 2002 season. This time, he said, he felt as though he was coming home. He also made clear that his goal is bigger than a nostalgic reunion: he wants to build the foundation for another sustained period of success.

The Giants finished second in the Central League in 2026 with a 76-64-3 record but were eliminated by the Yokohama DeNA BayStars in the opening round of the Climax Series. Hideki Hashigami had managed the club on an interim basis after Shinnosuke Abe resigned in May. Matsui now takes over a team that remained competitive but fell short of a championship.

Why Matsui chose No. 90

The number carries a personal meaning. Matsui chose No. 90 in tribute to his late mentor Shigeo Nagashima, who wore it during his first stint as Giants manager. Nagashima died in 2025 at age 89 and would have turned 90 this year.

Matsui explained that the choice also represents a new chapter rather than a return to his playing days in No. 55. His final MLB uniform number, 35, combines with 55 to make 90.

A new challenge for a legendary hitter

Despite his playing résumé, Matsui acknowledged that he has little experience running a professional team. He spent years working with players in the Yankees’ development system after retiring, and said he wants to create an environment in which Giants players can take responsibility for their own growth.

That challenge is already taking shape. In Thursday’s NPB draft, Yomiuri used its first-round selection on Yokohama High School right-hander Shoki Oda, even though the prospect has publicly expressed a desire to pursue baseball in the United States. Matsui said the pick surprised him but welcomed the possibility of developing a pitcher with exceptional potential.

The Giants have brought back one of their defining players. Whether Matsui can turn his stature, international experience and player-development ideas into victories will become the central question of Yomiuri’s next season.