Dragons appoint former Hawks manager Kudo as new skipper
NAGOYA (Kyodo) -- The Chunichi Dragons on Thursday announced the appointment of former SoftBank Hawks manager Kimiyasu Kudo as their new skipper, entr
The Chunichi Dragons announced the appointment of Kimiyasu Kudo as their new manager on Thursday. The 63-year-old, a native of Aichi Prefecture, previously managed the SoftBank Hawks from 2015 to 2021, securing three league titles and five Japan Series championships during his tenure. At a news conference in Nagoya, Kudo expressed his ambition to rebuild a club that has struggled in recent seasons, stating, "I want to build a team that brings joy to everyone through winning.
My ultimate goal is to win the championship." The Dragons concluded the Central League season in last place for the second consecutive year, leading to the resignation of manager Kazuki Inoue after two years in charge. This marks the sixth consecutive season that Chunichi has failed to finish in the top three of the Central League.
Kudo's pitching career as a left-hander included 224 victories over stints with four clubs, including the Seibu Lions.
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