Softbank Hawks Hawks manager Hiroki Kokubo said on the 10th that he thinks pitcher Liván Moinelo who is continuing his training to return to the first team, "is still a long way off."

The team traveled to Hokkaido by air that day to prepare for their games against Nippon-Ham Fighters on the 11th and 12th (ES CON FIELD). Manager Kokubo revealed that when he went out to eat with the left-handed pitcher who was last season's Pacific League MVP, he said, "If I'm going to play in the WBC, I'd like some time to think about it."

Moinello, who represented Cuba in the WBC, pitched 3 2/3 innings no runs against Panama on March 7 and 3 2/3 innings 1 runs against Canada on March 12, but lost in the first round. After the tournament, his visit to Japan was delayed due to a major power outage caused by a serious fuel shortage in his home country. He is still adjusting on his own, but he said that he had already assumed that he would be without his left arm right after the season opener, saying, "I was thinking that he would be gone in April and I would be lucky if he pitched.