Rakuten Eagles Add Ogasawara, Masui in Seven-Coach Overhaul for 2027
Rakuten named Michihiro Ogasawara and Hirotoshi Masui among seven new coaches as the Eagles rebuild after a last-place 2026 NPB season.
World Baseball News Editorial Team , 2 min read 
The Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles announced seven new coaches for the 2027 season on Thursday, October 29, putting 2,120-hit former MVP Michihiro Ogasawara in charge of hitting and 163-save former closer Hirotoshi Masui on the pitching staff. The broad overhaul follows a last-place finish in the Pacific League and gives manager Masato Yoshii a reshaped staff for his second season in charge.
Rakuten also named Akira Otsuka as head coach, Motoyuki Akahori as pitching coach, Wataru Karashima as pitching coach, Tomotaka Tamaki as infield defense and baserunning coach, and Toshio Haru as outfield defense and baserunning coach.
Ogasawara tasked with rebuilding Rakuten’s offense
Ogasawara arrives with one of the strongest playing résumés in modern NPB. Across 19 seasons with the Nippon-Ham Fighters, Yomiuri Giants and Chunichi Dragons, the left-handed hitter produced a .310 career average, 2,120 hits, 378 home runs and 1,169 RBIs in 1,992 games.
He won the 2006 Pacific League MVP award after leading the league in home runs and RBIs, then became only the second player to win MVP honors in both leagues when he earned the Central League award with Yomiuri in 2007. Ogasawara later coached in the Chunichi, Nippon-Ham and Yomiuri organizations.
His assignment is clear. Rakuten finished 2026 with a .239 team batting average and 103 home runs, both fifth in the Pacific League, while its 473 runs ranked last. The club is betting that Ogasawara’s experience as both an elite hitter and a development coach can turn a stagnant lineup into a more consistent run-producing unit.
Masui begins coaching career alongside Yoshii
Masui moves into coaching after a 13-season playing career with Nippon-Ham and Orix. He appeared in 551 games, going 41-47 with 163 saves, 158 holds and a 3.08 ERA. His combination of 150-plus saves and 150-plus holds was the first in Pacific League history.
The 42-year-old will reunite with Yoshii, who coached him during their time with the Fighters. Rakuten allowed 555 runs and posted a 3.63 team ERA in 2026, both fourth in the Pacific League.
Akahori brings extensive coaching experience after a career that included five top-reliever titles with the Kintetsu Buffaloes. Karashima joins the staff immediately after ending his playing career with Rakuten, while Otsuka moves into the head-coach role following a long coaching tenure with the Chiba Lotte Marines.
A new staff for a last-place club
The Eagles’ announcement makes clear that the organization sees coaching changes as a central part of its response to a difficult season. Seven new appointments touch every major area of the team: game planning, hitting, pitching and defensive development.
Rakuten has not changed its manager, but it has surrounded Yoshii with a substantially different group. Ogasawara’s ability to improve the offense and Masui’s transition from accomplished reliever to first-time coach will be two of the most closely watched elements of the Eagles’ 2027 rebuild.
