The Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks' bid for a third straight Pacific League pennant took a hit on Friday, when the club deactivated PL wins leader Tsuyoshi Wada due to elbow issues.

Wada (15-5), who underwent Tommy John surgery on his left elbow in 2012, is in his first season back in Japan after four seasons in the Unted States, the last two with the Chicago Cubs. The Hawks entered Friday's game against the Seibu Lions in second place, two games off the pace of the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters.

"I was at the hospital, had a checkup, and there didn't appear to be any change today," Wada told reporters at Seibu Prince Dome in Saitama Prefecture. "It's not any good for either myself or the team if I go out and pitch in a state of anxiety, wondering if I'm OK.