The team of Pinar del Río He still does not have a secure spot in the ’64 postseason. National Series (SN), but if he achieves this, he will not have at his disposal the stellar pitcher Liván Moinelo, one of the great stars of the Japanese Professional Baseball League (NPB, for its acronym in English).
Once the most recent Japanese season concluded, there was talk about the possibility of the leader of the SoftBank Falcons’ starting staff joining the Patativerde troop, along with his countryman Raidel Martínez, one of the most reliable relievers on that circuit.
However, this Tuesday Moinelo ruled out that something like this was going to happen, in statements to journalist Guillermo Rodríguez during the Awards Gala for the Best Cuban Athletes in 2025, in which he earned the award for the most outstanding among those hired abroad.
“You always say yes, but you have to see the reality. I’ve only been here for two months and I haven’t trained to support them. On another occasion I think there will be a chance, but I don’t think I’ll be able to,” said the 29-year-old star left-hander.
Moinelo is currently in his homeland enjoying a break with his family, after having one of his best seasons since he landed in the Japanese league with a contract backed by the Cuban Baseball and Softball Federation (FCBS).
In his second campaign as a starter, the turnaround player was selected as the best among all those who played that role in the Pacific League.
That added the designation as the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of that same division, a distinction that only three Latin players had received in the history of the tournament.
Japan Baseball: Liván Moinelo was the most valuable in the Pacific League
In this way, his spectacular performance during the 2025 campaign was recognized, in which he emerged as a key piece for the Falcons to return to the throne of the Japan Series, by beating the Hanshin Tigers, champions of the Central League, in the final.
During his ninth year in baseball in Japan, the man from Pinar del Río also set the highest ERA in the entire NPB, with an earned run average per game of 1.46.
Among his most notable numbers were 172 strikeouts and a balance of 12 wins against just three losses.
It remains to be seen if the Vegueros will complete the incorporation of Raidel, who has already begun his conditioning in his province with his sights set on the next season, after having improved his record of games saved in his first year with the Yomiuri Giants.
