'09 World Series MVP Matsui named manager of NPB's Giants

Hideki Matsui, the two-time MLB All-Star and 2009 World Series MVP with the Yankees, has been introduced as the new manager of Nippon Professional Baseball’s Yomiuri Giants.

Matsui, 52, played all 10 of his NPB seasons with the Giants, Japan’s most iconic franchise. The Tokyo-based club has won a league-high 22 Japan Series titles in its 91-year history.

After winning three Central League MVPs and three Japan Series with the Giants, Matsui was inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in 2018 at age 43, surpassing Hideo Nomo (45) as the youngest inductee to the Japanese Hall. Matsui, nicknamed “Godzilla,” hit 332 home runs in his NPB career on a .304/.413/.582 slash line.

Matsui succeeds Hideki Hashigami on the Yomiuri bench. Hashigami replaced Shinnosuke Abe in May after Abe, manager since 2024, resigned.

After starring for the Giants, Matsui joined the Yankees in 2003 on a three-year, $21 million contract. He finished as the runner-up to Ángel Berroa for the American League Rookie of the Year Award in 2003 and earned an All-Star selection in his first two seasons. Matsui also earned down-ballot AL MVP votes in 2004 and 2005. The lefty-swinging slugger then went 7-for-10 with three home runs and eight RBIs in the 2009 World Series win over the Phillies, earning MVP honors.

Matsui spent one year each with the Angels, Athletics and Rays following his World Series performance, finishing his career in 2012. Across 10 MLB seasons, Matsui hit 175 home runs with an .822 OPS.