Preview: Cuba and Korea cannot afford losing

World No. 6 Korea will face No. 9 Cuba on the second day of the WBSC Premier12 2024 presented by RAXUS. Both teams lost the opener and cannot afford a second loss, which could put them on the verge of elimination in a very competitive group.

Korea will hand the ball to Been Gwak, a 25-year-old right-hander who started 31 games for the Doosan Bears, posting a 15-9 record and a 4.24 earned run average. Gwak represented Korea at the 2023 World Baseball Classic. He helped his country earn silver at the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup 2017 when he started two games and went 1-1, striking out 18 in 14 innings and posting a 2.51 batting average.

Cuba chose left-hander Livan Moinelo, their most decorated pitcher. The 28-year-old has represented Cuba at the top international level, competing in the World Baseball Classic 2017 and 2023 and the Premier12 2019. The Pinar del Rio native has been on the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) roster since 2017. He contributed to four Japan Series titles and played in the 2022 All-Star Game. Originally a reliever, who picked 24 saves in 2022 and 13 holds in 2023, he evolved in a top starter. He posted an 11-5 record in 2024, striking out 155 in 163 innings, while walking only 47.

Cuba and Korea are two international baseball powerhouses. They have faced each other several times, most recently at the U-23 Baseball World Cup 2022, where Korea shut out Cuba 4-0 in the Opening Round.

Korea caused Cuba to have a famous upset at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Cuba entered the gold medal game as the defending champion and the favourite but lost (3-2) in a thrilling final.

Korea has won both games played in the Premier12. In the 2015 quarter finals they defeated Cuba 7-2 and they won in the 2019 Opening Round 7-0.

Cuba's last success against Korea was a 2-1 win in the 2019 U-12 Baseball World Cup bronze medal game.