The Yomiuri Giants have appointed Hideki Matsui as their new manager, bringing the former superstar slugger back to the club where he began his professional career. The team announced the hiring Friday morning in Japan and made it official with an afternoon press conference.

The 52-year-old will take charge in 2027, nearly a quarter-century after leaving for the New York Yankees. The outfielder hit 507 home runs between NPB and MLB during his career, including 175 with the renowned Tokyo-based franchise.

Shinnosuke Abe stepped down as manager in May following an off-field scandal, with coach Hideki Hashigami taking over on an interim basis. Hashigami kept Yomiuri in the pennant race until the final days of the season, finishing second before a postseason sweep by DeNA.

Despite the relative success, his appointment remained temporary, as the Giants have historically always had a former star player at the helm.

Matsui has long been Yomiuri’s coveted choice. As far back as January 2014, then-owner Kojiro Shiraishi publicly acknowledged asking him to become the team’s future skipper, with his mentor Shigeo Nagashima present. More than a decade later, that pursuit has finally paid off.

Godzilla's arrival could also help with one of Yomiuri’s most difficult recruiting assignments ever in Shoki Oda. The Giants shockingly selected the Yokohama High School right-hander in the first round of the 2026 NPB Draft this week, despite his stated intention to play in the United States. Oda reiterated after the draft that his plans had not changed.

Matsui could be a persuasive voice in those discussions. Having succeeded with both Yomiuri and the Yankees, he can speak firsthand about an NPB career leading to MLB success. Whether his legendary experience can sway the top prospect remains to be seen.

Matsui has no previous managerial experience, though he has worked in player development with the Yankees and served as a guest coach for both Yomiuri and the Japanese national team, including at the Samurai's training camp in Miyazaki ahead of the 2026 World Baseball Classic.