Former New York Mets and Boston Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine may be in line to become the next U.S. ambassador to Japan, according to a Boston radio report.
WEEI reported Thursday Valentine is on the short list to become the next ambassador to Japan. Valentine has previously managed in Japan and is friendly with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who he met while in college, the report stated.
Valentine has known President-elect Trump since the early 1980s and is close with Anthony Scaramucci, a member of Trump’s transition team, according to the report.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie floated Valentine’s name for the position.
Valentine managed the Chiba Lotte Marines for seven years and was the first American manager to win the Japan Series, the Japanese equivalent of the World Series, in 2005. He is immensely popular in Japan.
It would be another unconventional pick for Trump who has selected multiple outsiders for his Cabinet and advisory team. Earlier this week, Trump selected Linda McMahon, CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment, to run the Small Business Administration.
According to the report, Valentine and McMahon are close as well.
