Softbank Hawks infielder Nobuhiko Matsunaka was deactivated from the active roster Thursday, citing increasing pain in his right calf. Softbank manager Sadaharu Oh hinted that the team might finish off the season without the slugger. "It will hurt the team but continuing to play with a pulled muscle will only require more time for him to recover," Oh said. "We'd like to have him back by the 30th (of September) but I have to think openly, so at the latest it could be from the Climax Series." The 33-year-old Matsunaka missed a game against the Lotte Marines on Wednesday due to pain in the calf and he has extreme tightness in the injured area. As of Wednesday, Matsunaka was batting .265 with 15 home runs and 67 RBIs in 122 games.
