Livan Moinelo is on his way back to the SoftBank Hawks’ big league team after a recovery from injury. After a sparkling World Baseball Classic, Moinelo has yet to see action this season with the Japanese team due to nagging arm injuries.
On July 23rd the lefty pitched three complete innings, allowing four hits and one run while striking out five batters. He threw 59 pitches, and his fastest pitch reached 152 km/h (94.45 mph). His team defeated Chunichi’s farm club, 3-2. Since pitching for Cuba in the World Baseball Classic, Moinelo has dealt with injury issues, mainly discomfort in his left shoulder. His upper body is still not at 100%, and the 2025 Pacific League MVP has yet to make his top-level debut this season.
According to several recent reports, the SoftBank Hawks will sign former Phillies minor league pitcher Jackson Rutledge. The Hawks are looking to strengthen their starting rotation while Moinelo remains sidelined. First-team manager Hiroki Kokubo recently explained: “He will remain in the minor leagues for a while, or rather, he will not be joining the first team anytime soon.”