Liván Moinelo has a new goal heading into the 2024 Nippon League season and that endeavor is to try his luck at being a starting pitcher. The Cuban hurler let it be known through source two days ago of his desired change in role with the squad from the land of the rising sun.
Moinelo, who was an All-Star during the 2023 NPB season has only made one start in his 463 appearances during his time in the Serie Nacional and Nippon Professional Baseball League. During the 2015 Premier 12 he did give us a glimpse of what he would look like as a starter pitching five innings in relief against Canada and striking out eight batters.
The SoftBank Hawks’ star pitcher underwent surgery earlier this year for osteochondritis dissecans in the elbow of his throwing arm. According to the information provided by Dr. Francisco Montesinos, medical manager of the Cuban baseball commission and federation, the intervention was successful.
El zurdo pinareño @LivanMoinelo de @HAWKS_official ha declarado sus intenciones de convertirse en abridor para la proxima temporada en Japón. Entre sus 463 apariciones en la Serie Nacional y NPB solamente una ha sido como abridor.#pelotacubana #NPB pic.twitter.com/Dqaher5qu1
— Yusseff305 🇨🇺🇺🇲 (@yusseff305) October 21, 2023
“Two free bodies were extracted, made up of fragments of bone and cartilage, and the player is doing very well in these first hours of recovery,” explained the doctor. The next thing will be to wait for the stitches to heal and he is able to travel to complete part of the rehabilitation in Cuba, added the specialist.
He recalled that the decision to operate was made upon discovering the free bodies in the area, but not because he felt pain that prevented him from working effectively. Moinelo will not be available for the Cuban team during the ongoing 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago de Chile this November.
The Cuban is SoftBank’s setup man and the precursor to closer Roberto Osuna. Moinelo is only the 4th foreign reliever with more than 150 holds in Nippon League history. The diminutive antillean is arguably the best lefty reliever the Pacific League. Last season the season the southpaw had 3 wins, 13 holds and five saves all as team’s setup man. In 27 ⅔ innings pitched he has also fanned 37 batters.
When the left-hander will take the mound again is not known at this time, but with this type of injury the team might take its time and not rush the Cuban in his recovery. Moinelo has been part of the Cuban National Team for close to a decade now and has also seen action in the Pan-American Games, Caribbean World Series and various World Baseball Classics.