Cuban pitcher Liván Moinelo, a standout player for the SoftBank Hawks in Japan's Pacific League, has achieved a significant milestone by securing his first-ever Golden Glove award. This accolade, granted by sports journalists in Japan, acknowledges Moinelo as the top defender in his position.
In a tightly contested vote, the left-handed pitcher from Pinar del Río edged out his competitors, Hiromi Ito of the Nippon Ham Fighters and Kazuma Ojima of the Lotte Marines, according to Prensa Latina. Moinelo's victory marks him as the first Latin American to earn this prestigious honor in the Japanese League since fellow Cuban Dayán Viciedo achieved it in 2021 in the Central League.
A Historic Achievement in Japanese Baseball
This award is not only a testament to Moinelo's exceptional defensive skills but also caps a season where he led in effectiveness, allowing just 1.88 earned runs per nine innings. This is a record that no other Latin American has attained in Japanese baseball before.
Having debuted as a starter after seven years as a reliever, Moinelo emerged as a dominant force: he ranked fourth in wins with 11 and in strikeouts, achieving 155 in 163 innings.
Looking Ahead to the Premier 12 Tournament
As the Premier 12 tournament approaches, anticipation builds around Moinelo's presence on the mound. According to Armando Johnson, the manager of Team Cuba, Moinelo is set to pitch against South Korea in the second game of the group B matches, which kick off tomorrow in Taipei, China.