Taoyuan: The Rakuten Monkeys have unexpectedly parted ways with manager Kenji Furukubo, two weeks after the team won the 2025 championship of Taiwan’s Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL).
According to Focus Taiwan, the team’s general management made the announcement of Furukubo’s departure on Sunday, shortly after the Monkeys’ exhibition game against South Korea’s KT Wiz in Taoyuan. The decision reportedly caught many players by surprise.
“The franchise thanks manager Furukubo for his contributions over the past four years, including leading the Rakuten Monkeys to the 2025 Taiwan Series championship,” the franchise stated in a brief announcement. “The new coaching staff for next season will be announced once finalized.”
The 61-year-old Furukubo of Japan was recently named CPBL Manager of the Year. Monkeys General Manager Kouki Makino mentioned that the decision was “based on the contract and a mutual agreement,” but he declined to disclose how long the franchise had been considering the move.
Furukubo has been described by Makino as “an energetic and respectful senior” with a notable passion for the game. However, Makino did not indicate whether Furukubo would remain with the team in a different capacity.
After Sunday’s game, Furukubo addressed the coaches and players, expressing his regret for not being able to continue leading them. Furukubo’s career includes being a catcher in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) before retiring in 2002. He later worked as a coach in both the NPB and Korea Baseball Organization (KBO).
Furukubo joined Taiwan’s Fubon Guardians as a catcher coach in 2019 and moved to the Monkeys in 2022 as bench coach. He was promoted to manager after the team’s loss in the 2023 Taiwan Series, becoming the Monkeys’ first Japanese manager since the franchise came under Japanese ownership in 2020.
Under his leadership, the Monkeys recorded identical 62-57-1 records, ranking third and qualifying for the playoffs in each of the past two seasons. On Monday, several Monkeys players expressed disappointment at the news of Furukubo’s departure.
Veteran infielder Lin Chih-ping voiced his discontent on social media, questioning the management’s decision and describing it as “embarrassing.” Outfielder Cheng Chin expressed gratitude in Japanese, and catcher Chang Min-hsun, a member of the CPBL 2025 All-Pro “Best Nine” team, posted a photo of Furukubo with the caption “Best Manager.”
Meanwhile, Makino stated that the team will consult with each coach before making further changes, with the current staff overseeing player training until a new manager is appointed. The franchise aims to find the most suitable candidate, irrespective of potential language barriers, as they search for Furukubo’s successor.