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The Cuban closer Raidel Martínez joined the spring training of the Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) this Thursday, as confirmed by journalist Francys Romero, putting an end to weeks of speculation about his whereabouts following Cuba's elimination in the VI World Baseball Classic 2026.
Martínez, 29 years old and originally from Pinar del Río, departed from Cuba on the night of last Monday along with his compatriot Liván Moinelo, who returned to the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks. Both pitchers had remained in their home province following the elimination of the Cuban team in the first round of the tournament.
The Cuban team lost on March 11 to Canada with a score of 2-7 in San Juan, Puerto Rico, marking the first group stage elimination for the Cuban team in 20 years.
The late arrival in Japan fueled speculation on social media, suggesting, without any basis, that the pitcher might be negotiating with Major League teams or even considering not returning to the Asian country.
The Provincial Baseball Commissioner of Pinar del Río, Heriberto Suárez Pereda, debunked those rumors on March 23 through an official statement: "Athletes Liván Moinelo and Raidel Martínez are currently in their hometown, preparing to fulfill their respective contracts in the Japanese league."
According to Romero, Martínez still does not have a confirmed date to debut in the 2026 season, although the pitcher himself stated that he feels ready to compete. The closer, who signed a record contract for Latinos in the NPB with the Giants, will have to wait for the team to make a final decision regarding his inclusion in the active roster.
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