During the game, the left-hander Express started off with a right-hander with a fastball of 124km/h, a 161km/h special finish, an unmeasurable Arirang ball, and an All-Star game enjoyed by everyone

Jul 24, 2025

Softbank's left-hander special Moello turned into a right-handed pitcher after two outs in the fourth inning of the All-Star Game on the 23rd. He caught Fabien, the Central League All-Star, with three pitches. Photo capture = Softbank Hawks SNS

Yomiuri closer Martinez started the Pacific League and the All-Star game on the 23rd. I caught three out-counts with six pitches. Photo capture =Miuri Giants SNS

Softbank Hawks 'Left-hander Express" Livan Moinello (30) and Yomiuri Giants right-hander Leidel Martinez (29) are Cuban and top players who have achieved 'Japan Dream'. After serving side by side as representatives of Cuba, he entered the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) at a young age in his early 20s and grew up. Moyelo started with softbank as a nurturing player in 2017, and Martinez started with the Chunichi Dragons the same year.

Monello, who was throwing as a bullpen pitcher, switched to a starter last year and jumped into an ace at once. He went 11-5 with a 1.88 ERA in 25 games and ranked first in the Pacific League in his first year as a starter. I got a pitcher's golden glove. Monello re-signed early in the season last year for four years to four billion yen.

He will continue his special performance this year. He went 8-2 with a 1.27 ERA in 16 appearances. He ranks first in ERA and second in multiple wins. Monello struck out 18 in the eighth inning against Yakult Swallows on June 6. He rewrote the record for the most strikeouts in a game by a foreign pitcher. He was one shy of the most in Japanese professional baseball.

Martinez, who was guarding the back door of Chunichi, moved to Yomiuri last winter. There was a treatment worthy of the best closer. He signed a four-year contract worth 4.8 billion yen, the highest annual salary in the Japanese professional baseball league. Martinez finished first in saves in the 2022 and 2024 Central League. He marked the 0-point ERA for the second consecutive year in 2022-2023. He is tied for first in saves (28) as of Sunday.

What would happen if the best left-hander threw with his right arm. What if the special finish starts. Mo이네nello and Martinez solved the question. It was possible because it was a midsummer night baseball festival, an All-Star game, which became a stage to enjoy regardless of victory or defeat.

Cuba left-hander Mo이네ello re-signed for four years to four billion yen during last season. He ranks first in the Pacific League's ERA in his first year as a starter, and is also No. 1 in this category this year. Photo capture = Softbank Hawks SNS

Game 1 of the 2025 All-Star Game held at the Kyocera Dome in Osaka on the 23rd. Monello pitched as the second pitcher in the Pacific League after starting pitcher Hiroya Miyagi (Orix Buffaloes) in the third inning. With two outs in the fourth inning, he allowed one hit and no run. He replaced his glove with a right-handed pitcher in the fourth inning with two outs and no runners. Cheers erupted in the dugout and stands of both teams.

The Central League batter is Ututa Sandro Fabien (Hiroshima Karp). One or two pitches hit 124 kilometers per hour in a row. The first pitch was out to the high outside and the second pitch was out to the low outside course, away from the strike zone. Ball count 2B. Throwing a fastball again. I dug into a high course in the middle. Fabien reacted to the ball. a foul fly to third baseman. There was applause in the stands. Monello, who finished with three pitches, came down the mound with a big smile. One hit and no run in two innings.

Monello, who secretly prepared the performance, joked "I couldn't throw faster for fear of hitting the batter's body" and added "I made good memories" He introduced that there was a time when he threw with his right arm as a child. The speed limit is 158 kilometers.

Darvish Yu (San Diego Padres), who is active in the Major League, reacted to Moinello's surprise pitch. Darvish writes in his X account that he writes 'right

The Pacific League All-Star beat the Central League All-Star 5-1 in the first game held at Kyocera Dome on the 23rd. Photo capture = Pacific League TV

It's great that you threw it. Right-hander Darvish often plays catch with his left hand for pitch balance.

Martinez, who started for the first time in seven years, was perfect even though the timing of his appearance changed. I caught three out-counts with six pitches in the first inning. Pacific League All-Star Team No. 1 Fujiwara Kyota (Chiba Lotte Marines) was grounded out to first base, No. 2 Yuma Dhonko (Orix) was grounded out to shortstop, and No. 3 Ituki Murabayashi (Rakuten Eagles) was grounded out to pitcher.

The maximum speed of 156 kilometers per hour was sprayed with an unmeasurable ultra-low speed slow ball. Martinez's Arirang ball, which throws a maximum speed of 161 kilometers per hour, stirred the arena. It is a possible performance because it is an All-Star game. Martinez "enjoyed without burden. I wanted to throw it in a fun way."

Martinez had a chance to start because of the pitching schedule of the starters. Manager Abe Shinnosuke (Yomiuri), who led the Central League All-Star team, came up with the idea.

Martinez "I was surprised when I first heard about the selection. I thought that I only need to get three out counts as usual" When asked if he would like to throw a slow ball in the second half, he laughed, saying, `I don't intend to do that.'

Director Abe Yomiuri. He put his team closer Martinez as a starting pitcher in Game 1 of the All-Star Game on the 23rd. Photo capture =Miuri Giants SNS

NPB will play the second round of the All-Star Game in Yokohama on the 24th and start the second half of the game on the 26th. Next year, the All-Star Game will be held at Tokyo Dome and Toyama Stadium. Tokyo Dome is the first in seven years since 2019, and Toyama is the first All-Star Game in 30 years since 1996.

This article was translated by Naver AI translator.