Tsuyoshi Nishioka leaves Chiba Lotte coaching staff after one season

The Chiba Lotte Marines said they accepted Tsuyoshi Nishioka's request to leave the club after discussions, according to reports published on October 11. Nishioka served as first-team chief hitting coach and baserunning coach in 2026, returning to the club where he began his professional playing career. His departure follows one season on the coaching staff. In a statement issued through the club, he thanked its officials and supporters and said he wanted to enter new environments and continue developing himself. [ 1 , 4 , 6 ]

Nishioka described continually gaining experience as a theme of his life. His playing career included Chiba Lotte, Major League Baseball, the Hanshin Tigers and independent leagues, followed by work as a commentator, manager and coach. He said the Marines remained a special club because they had developed him as a professional player and supported his opportunities elsewhere. He recalled telling club officials in 2010, before his move to the major leagues, that he wanted eventually to help develop the Marines into a strong team. He said he had remembered their advice to begin his coaching career in a Marines uniform. [ 1 , 4 ]

Nishioka said that in his first year as a coach he had aimed to stay out of the spotlight, help players focus on baseball and be available when they struggled. He said he had also learned extensively from the players. He described the departure as another journey to gain experience rather than an end, and said he wanted to encounter different people and approaches to baseball. His stated longer-term goal was to return those experiences to the club that had developed him. The statement does not identify his next position. [ 1 , 4 ]