Norifumi Nishimura announced Thursday that he will step down as manager of the Pacific League's Orix Buffaloes and that farm manager Satoshi Nakajima will take charge as acting manager.
The 60-year-old Nishimura was promoted from head coach to manager last season and finished last in the six-team league.
This year Orix signed five-time American League all-star Adam Jones, who has yet to make an impact in a season that did not get underway until June 19 due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.
With Thursday's loss, the last-place Buffaloes fell to 16-33 with four ties.
Nishimura previously managed the Lotte Marines and won the Japan Series in 2010 in his first year in charge, after finishing third in the PL during the regular season. He left Lotte after finishing fifth in 2011 and last in 2012.
His career managing record now stands at 269-321 with 39 ties for a .456 winning percentage.
Nakajima, who has never managed at the first-team level, is a former catcher, whose career began with the Hankyu Braves, the franchise purchased by Orix after the 1988 season. He spent several seasons as a coach with the Nippon Ham Fighters, the last team he played for before joining Orix last year.