havana/Cuban pitcher Liván Moinelo won the 2024 Gold Glove in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) – Japan’s top league and the second best in the world – in the position of pitcher with his team, the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks. The news, published this Tuesday by the Japanese Baseball portal, is the result of a campaign with a lot of recognition for the player, who also became the first Latin pitcher to receive the efficiency title during the regular tournament.
The beginning of the season was a challenge for the athlete, according to the media Complete swingWell, for the first time, he had to be the starter. In his previous seven seasons, the player, who was born in Pinar del Río, had been a reliever. However, in his new role he won the award by defeating the Japanese Kazuma Ojima, of Chiba Lotte Marines, and Hiromi Ito, of Nippon Ham Fighters.
Liván Moinelo had 25 starts, in which he pitched 163 innings, with a high ERA of 1.88
In the recently completed season, in which his team lost the Japan Series title to the Yokohama DeNA BayStars, Liván Moinelo had 25 starts, in which he pitched 163 innings, with a high ERA of 1.88. From the mound he struck out 155 opponents, allowed only 34 runs, walked 47 and had a record of 11-5, for a winning percentage of 68.8%.
The pitcher was the only Latino to win the Gold Glove and was the first player from the division to receive that distinction in the Japanese League since his teammate and first baseman Dayán Viciedo did so in the Major League. in the 2021 season.
The pitcher will be the starter for the Islanders’ second game, when they face South Korea, this Thursday
The 28-year-old player is one of the strong cards for the Cuban team that will appear today in the Major 12 Championship against the Dominican Republic at the Taipei Tianmu Baseball Stadium, in Taiwan. The pitcher will be the starter for the Islanders’ second game, when they face South Korea, this Thursday. For the first game, manager Armando Johnson chose Yoenis Yera as the first baseman. Cuba will complete the group B stage against Australia, Japan and local Taiwan next Monday.
Although Cuba has a good team in terms of pitching, the prospects for the international tournament are not good. The official media Jit reported this Tuesday that pitcher Frank Luis Medina suffered an injury in the final preseason game in Taiwan against the Wei-Chuan Dragons, a local professional league team.
Francisco Montesinos, a doctor for the island team, explained to the media that the pitcher suffered a first-degree sprain in his right ankle and was undergoing treatment. The doctor announced that, depending on the treatment applied to the player, he could be available to play after November 15, when the last two first-class matches will be played.
