DeNA BayStars say manager Ryoji Aikawa will stay on for second season
In short
Yokohama DeNA BayStars announced on Oct. 5 that manager Ryoji Aikawa, 50, will remain in charge next season, his second year with the club, after owner Tomoko Namba asked him to continue and he accepted. Aikawa's first season ended with a 71-69-3 record and third place, sending DeNA to the Climax Series, where it will face the Yomiuri Giants from Oct. 10. Aikawa said the team's remaining chance this year is to win the Climax Series and the Japan Series.
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Yokohama DeNA BayStars announced on Oct. 5 that manager Ryoji Aikawa, 50, will remain in charge next season, his second year with the club. According to the Asahi Shimbun, owner Tomoko Namba asked Aikawa to continue and he accepted. The Sankei Shimbun reported that the club decided to sign Aikawa to a contract for next season. [ 1 , 3 ]
Aikawa said through the club that he had not reached a league title and felt deep regret, and that the team's remaining chance was to win the Climax Series and the Japan Series. “改めて身が引き締まる思い” — “I feel a renewed sense of resolve,” the Sankei Shimbun quoted him as saying, adding that he would first pursue the Japan Series title and then aim for the league championship next season. [ 1 , 3 ]
Aikawa took over this season after being promoted from defensive chief and fielding coach, succeeding former manager Daisuke Miura, the Sankei Shimbun reported. According to the Asahi Shimbun, a run of injuries among starting pitchers caused a slow start: the team went 4-15 in June during interleague play, and on June 30 its losing margin had grown to 15 games. [ 1 , 3 ]
From July the team recovered, helped by the emergence of younger players, the addition of Encarnacion and the move of Reynolds to the closer role, the Asahi Shimbun reported. DeNA finished the regular season third with 71 wins, 69 losses and 3 draws and qualified for the Climax Series, where it will face the Yomiuri Giants in the first stage starting Oct. 10. [ 1 , 3 ]
Namba said through the club that even with many injured players and a squad that did not come together as planned, Aikawa used the insight of a former catcher to fight through and rebuild the team after July, and that the club evaluated the brighter signs for next season from young players coming through. The Sankei Shimbun quoted her as saying the club evaluated the situation comprehensively and asked him to continue. [ 1 , 3 ]
Why it matters
The decision keeps DeNA's management in place ahead of a Climax Series first-stage matchup with the Yomiuri Giants from Oct. 10, and the club cited the rise of younger players as a reason for continuity into next season. For a team that recovered from a 15-game losing margin in late June to finish third, the announcement settles the dugout question before the postseason begins.
Key facts
- DeNA announced on Oct. 5 that manager Ryoji Aikawa, 50, will continue next season, his second year in charge. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Owner Tomoko Namba asked Aikawa to stay and he accepted, according to the club. [ 1 ]
- DeNA finished the regular season third with 71 wins, 69 losses and 3 draws and qualified for the Climax Series. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Aikawa's team went 4-15 in June and its losing margin reached 15 games on June 30 before a second-half recovery. [ 1 ]
- DeNA will play the Yomiuri Giants in the Climax Series first stage from Oct. 10. [ 1 ]
- Aikawa said the team's remaining chance is to win the Climax Series and the Japan Series. [ 1 ]
- Namba said the club evaluated the team's recovery after July and the emergence of young players in deciding to ask Aikawa to continue. [ 1 , 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- DeNA announced on Oct. 5 that Ryoji Aikawa will manage the team next season as well. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- DeNA finished the 2026 regular season in third place and reached the Climax Series. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Owner Tomoko Namba asked Aikawa to continue, citing the team's recovery and the emergence of young players. [ 1 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- The length and terms of Aikawa's contract beyond next season. The documents say only that he will continue next season, his second year in charge, without stating contract details.
- The specific mid-season moves credited with the turnaround, including the addition of Encarnacion and Reynolds' switch to closer. These details appear only in the Asahi Shimbun account and are not corroborated by the other documents.
- The exact scale of the team's mid-season deficit. The figure of a 15-game losing margin on June 30 comes from a single outlet, while another outlet states only that the deficit of 15 became a surplus of 1.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Asahi Shimbun reports that DeNA announced Aikawa will continue, with comments from Aikawa and owner Tomoko Namba. [ 1 ]
- Nippon TV News reports the continuation, noting a first season that ended third and a swing from a 15-game deficit to a one-game surplus. [ 2 ]
- Sankei Shimbun reports the club decided to sign Aikawa to a contract for next season, quoting him and the owner. [ 3 ]