KAWASAKI, Japan - New Yomiuri Giants manager Hideki Matsui began his work in earnest Friday as the team's fall training camp got underway, much to the excitement of fellow former New York Yankee Masahiro Tanaka.
Some 3,000 fans flocked to Giants Stadium in Kawasaki near Tokyo to see former star slugger Matsui lead his team on the field for the first time, showering him with a chorus of "Welcome back!" as he appeared.
"I'm grateful. It's better than hearing 'Don't come back!'" joked Matsui, who moved to New York after the 2002 season. "This is a place where I used to work up a sweat as a rookie, and it feels like I'm back."
"First I'd like to get a proper grasp of each player's strengths ...Everyone's eyes were filled with determination, and that made me happy."
Matsui hit 332 home runs for the Giants before adding 175 in MLB spending much of his career in the United States with the Yankees. The 2009 World Series MVP retired in 2012.
Tanaka joined the Yankees in 2014 and went 78-46 over seven seasons before returning to the Rakuten Eagles in Japan.
"I saw just how great Mr. Matsui was during my time in New York," said Tanaka, who was a Giants fan as a boy and joined them from the Eagles ahead of the 2025 season.
"He's my hero and I'm really happy we can fight together in the same uniform. I feel a connection."
