Softbank Hawks left-hander Livan Moinello (29) is spending his eighth season in the Japanese pro baseball league this year. He is 29 years old, but it is notable that he is in his eighth year in the Japanese pro baseball league. He took a different path than other foreign players who are active in the Japanese pro baseball league. Born in Cuba, he played in the Cuban League and became famous as a representative of the 2015 Premier 12 and 2017 WBC (World Baseball Classic) Cuban team. Considering his potential high, Softbank recruited him as a nurturing player in 2017 and signed a five-year contract. He became an official player just five months after joining the team. After moving to Japan at the young age of 22, he grew up in Softbank and blossomed.
He pitched as a relief pitcher for seven years from his first year. He played in 306 games, recording 19 wins, 9 losses, 40 saves, 135 holds – 1.95 ERA.
In the first half of last year, he played in 27 games and posted 3 wins and 13 holds with 0.98 ERA. He displayed exceptional performance until he was exited from his team’s roster due to pain in his left elbow in July last year.
In his 8th year of joining, a big change has come. His position has changed to a starting pitcher. He has adapted to the new environment immediately. He is on a roll as a main starting pitcher.
At the Seibu Lions match held at the Tokorozawa Verunadome in Saitama Prefecture on Sunday, Moello started an away game and continued a tight race with Seibu left-hander Jihiro Sumida.
Through the eighth inning, Monello threw 113 pitches against 28 hitters, and secured nine strikeouts. He allowed five hits without four outs and blocked the batters from losing any point. Without any risk, he overwhelmed the rival team’s batters with fast balls, changeups, and curves of 150 kilometers per hour. He sent the runner to the top scoring position just once in the fourth inning.
Sumida also pitched five hits, no four outs, and no runs until the eighth inning.
At the top of the ninth inning, the two players had mixed feelings. Sumida, who threw 82 pitches through the eighth inning, took the mound in the ninth inning as well. She also sent off leadoff hitter Ukyo Shuto to the plate. With runners on second and second bases with two outs, Softbank No. 3 Ryo Kurihara made a timely hit to the plate. The hit led to Seibu’s 0-1 loss. Sumida allowed one run and a complete defeat in nine innings.
With help from his team’s batters in the last minute, Monello posted six wins (three losses) in this season and laughed. In the last game of the first half, he lowered his ERA from 1.69 to 1.57. Monello is the only pitcher with an ERA of one point in the Pacific League. 노래방알바
He started 16 games before the game against Seibu on Sunday, and finished 15 games with quality starts (more than six innings as a starter, three earned runs or less). This is the highest quality start in the Pacific League. While playing 109 innings, he recorded 109 strikeouts and WHIP (on-base-plus-slugging percentage) of 0.93.
As soon as he started, he jumped to the top.
When a bullpen pitcher starts, he worries about stamina and his ability to handle innings. He will be burdened by the number of pitches he throws. However, Moeenelo made the worry unfounded. He said, “I didn’t think I would throw this far. I’m surprised, too.”
He will receive an annual salary of 300 million yen this year. This is the last year of his three-year contract. SoftBank moved quickly. It signed a long-term contract in March that starts next year’s season. It is on the condition that he will receive a four-year total of 4 billion yen. The deal will increase from 300 million yen (2.65 billion won) to 1 billion yen (about 8.83 billion won). This is the highest amount in the Japanese pro baseball league. He came to Japan at the young age of 22 to achieve his Japanese dream.
While playing for softbank, Moelo played for the 2019 Premier 12 and 2023 WBC Cuba. Last year, he played in the WBC four games
He pitched four scoreless innings in four ⅓.
Softbank, which is eying its first win in four years, finished the first half with 55 wins, three draws and 29 losses. It is an overwhelming lead, 10 games ahead of second-place Chiba Lotte Marines.