Former slugger Takahiro Arai has been hired to manage the Hiroshima Carp, a top executive with the Central League team said Friday.
An affable 45-year-old former first baseman, Arai will take the reins from Shinji Sasaoka who announced Sunday he is stepping down after three seasons without a postseason appearance.
An official announcement is expected in the coming days.
A native of Hiroshima, Arai turned pro with the Carp out of Komazawa University in 1999. He signed with the Hanshin Tigers as a free agent in 2008, and returned to the Carp in 2015 as a free agent after Hanshin released him.
In 2016, at the age of 39, Arai turned back the clock to have one of the best seasons of his career. He was named the CL's Most Valuable Player as the Carp won their first pennant in 25 years. He retired following the 2018 season in which the Carp won their third straight league title.
