SoftBank Hawks’ Moinelo, Hanshin Tigers’ Sato Named MVPs

The Yomiuri Shimbun

19:28 JST, November 27, 2025

When lefthander Livan Moinelo joined the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks from Cuba in 2017 as a developmental player, it took only about a month for him to make the team’s active roster.

Eight years later, and following his second season after being converted from a reliever to starter, the lithe hurler was named the best player in the Pacific League.

Moinelo, who helped lead the Hawks to the Japan Series championship, was named the league MVP on Wednesday, while Hanshin Tigers slugger Teruaki Sato received the honor in the Central League in a gala ceremony at the NPB Awards in Tokyo.

“It wasn’t just me, but there were other players who played well, so for me to be selected is a great honor,” Moinelo said in Spanish in a video message. “For me personally, I had a great season and I’m very happy.”

Moinelo, 29, received 177 of the first-place votes among the 229 eligible media members, totaling 983 points to finish ahead of Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters designated hitter Franmil Reyes, who drew 20 first-place votes and 257 points. In the format, a first-place vote was worth five points, with three for second and one for third.

Moinelo finished with a 12-3 record and led the PL for the second straight year with a 1.46 earned run average. He had 172 strikeouts in 167 innings.

The 26-year-old Sato, in his fifth season with the Tigers, won both the CL home run and RBI titles, with 40 and 102, respectively.

“This is an award that selects the year’s two best players,” Sato said in his acceptance speech. “It’s an honor.”

Sato also talked about his late grandfather, who fostered a love of baseball in him and passed away last year.

“Every time I went to his house, we would always play baseball together,” he said. “That formed the roots of my baseball [career].”

Sato was an overwhelming choice, receiving 244 of the 277 first-place votes and amassing 1,308 points to finish well ahead of a number of Hanshin teammates.

Meanwhile, Chiba Lotte Marines outfielder Misho Nishikawa was named the PL’s Rookie of the Year, while Tokyo Yakult Swallows left-hander Kota Shoji won the award in the CL.

Nishikawa overcame a midseason slump that saw him sent to the farm team to finish with 117 hits in 108 games, with a .281 batting average that was sixth-best in the league.

Shoji appeared in 45 games in relief, compiling a 2-1 record and 1.05 ERA with 28 holds.