TOKYO (TR) – The World Baseball Classic kicks off this week. Playing for the second time for Samurai Japan will be Sosuke Genda of the Seibu Lions.
By just about every measure, the 2025 season was the worst of Genda’s career. The nine-year veteran infielder reached lows in batting average (.209) and plate appearances (361). He also failed to hit a homerun for the second time in his career.
At this time last year, however, Genda was slugging quite well in an affair with a Ginza hostess, as weekly tabloid Shukan Bunshun (Jan. 2-9, 2025) reported.
This year he hopes will be a different story. “It’s truly an honor,” he told the Asahi Shimbun (Feb. 18) of joining Samurai Japan. “I’ve always wanted to wear the national team uniform again.”
Genda is an infielder who joined Seibu Lions as the third draft pick in 2017. Prior to the 2025 season, he had won the Golden Glove Award seven straight years.
In October 2019, Genda announced his marriage to former Nogizaka46 member Misa Eto. The couple’s media exposure slowly increased after their marriage, with the couple appearing together on television for the first time in January 2024.
However, at some point in 2024, Bunshun was tipped off about the Genda’s affair with a hostess working at a high-end club in Ginza. “The affair has been going on for just under a year,” a source said.
When the magazine interviewed Genda directly for 50 minutes, he spoke in the company of his manager. When asked about the hostess, he said, “Well, we are having an affair.”
“Footwork and speed are incredible”
This season, the infielder is hoping for a bounce back.
Seibu Lions teammate Natsuo Takizawa, 22, is already impressed by Genda’s defense. He said, “His footwork and speed are incredible. He’s able to get every ball to bounce well.”
Regarding Samurai Japan’s 2023 victory in the WBC, Genda said, “I’ll never forget it,”
Samurai Japan will face Chinese Taipei in its opening game at Tokyo Dome on Friday.
