Manager Mike Shildt said Friday that Darvish (elbow) will miss the start of the regular season and has no official timeline for his return, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.
The news isn't exactly surprising given that Darvish was reported to be dealing with elbow inflammation this week, and it's now official that a stint on the injured list will be in store. The veteran right-hander will be shut down from throwing for an unspecified period before ramping his throwing program back up, so it's unclear when he might be ready for his 2025 debut.
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Padres' Yu Darvish: Managing elbow inflammation
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Manager Mike Shildt said Tuesday that Darvish experienced elbow inflammation after his last spring start, Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
The right-hander was previously said to be dealing with "fatigue," which prevented him from starting Tuesday's spring game as scheduled. Darvish hasn't been shut down from throwing and played catch Tuesday, which indicates it isn't believed to be a serious issue. Still, the 38-year-old's availability for the start of the regular season is now in question.
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Padres' Yu Darvish: Battling fatigue
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Darvish had Sunday's bullpen session and Tuesday's scheduled spring start pushed back due to fatigue, Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
The severity of the issue is being downplayed, but it's a concerning development late in camp for the 38-year-old. Darvish will be evaluated daily to determine when he'll have his next bullpen session, and his outlook for the start of the season could change significantly if he's unable to throw for more than a few days.
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Padres' Yu Darvish: Fans four in second spring start
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Darvish allowed one run on two hits and issued two walks while striking out four batters over four innings in a Cactus League contest against Kansas City on Thursday.
Darvish looked better Thursday than he did in his spring debut March 8, when he allowed two runs over 2.2 frames. The veteran right-hander threw 54 pitches Thursday, 26 percent of which were curveballs -- by comparison, he went to the curve just 8.6 percent of the time during the 2024 regular season. Darvish did use his curveball more often late in the campaign last year, and his usage of the pitch in the early going this spring suggests he may continue that trend into 2025.
Darvish pitched 2.2 innings in a Cactus League contest against Cleveland on Saturday, allowing two runs on four hits and one walk while striking out three batters.
Darvish allowed a double and issued a walk in the first frame but emerged unscathed on the scoreboard. He breezed through a 1-2-3 second inning but struggled in the third, yielding three singles and hitting a batter with a pitch to allow two runs to score before being lifted with two outs. Despite Darvish's unimpressive results, the Padres were likely pleased with his outing, as he tossed 57 pitches, induced seven whiffs and averaged 94.3 mph on his fastball -- up from the 93.9 mph he averaged last year -- in his first game action of the exhibition slate. The veteran right-hander is slated to work as San Diego's No. 3 starter this season.
Padres' Yu Darvish: Not yet pitching in Cactus League
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Darvish won't appear in a Cactus League contest until early March, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.
Darvish isn't dealing with any injury, but rather than ask him to take part in Cactus League competition, the Padres have thus far had him toss a simulated game and then throw in an intrasquad game. The veteran hurler tossed two scoreless frames Monday in the intrasquad affair, and he expressed afterward that he was happy with the results. Darvish figures to slot in behind Dylan Cease and Michael King in San Diego's rotation this season.
Darvish will start Sunday in Game 2 of the NLDS against the Dodgers, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
Michael King would be on regular rest Sunday following a dominant 12-strikeout outing in the wild-card series versus Atlanta, but the Padres will hold him back, presumably for Game 3. Darvish will be opposed by Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
Padres' Yu Darvish: Expected to operate as bullpen arm
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Darvish is expected begin the postseason as a bullpen arm for the Padres, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.
Darvish will be left out of the starting rotation as the Padres begin their best-of-three Wild Card Round series with Atlanta on Tuesday. San Diego will go with Michael King, Joe Musgrove and Dylan Cease as its starters in the series. Darvish finished the 2024 regular season with a 3.31 ERA and 78 strikeouts over 81.2 innings in 16 starts with the Padres. Additionally, the right-hander owns a 4.19 ERA with 54 punchouts over 58 innings in 11 career postseason appearances.
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Padres' Yu Darvish: Picks up seventh win
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Darvish (7-3) allowed three runs on three hits and three walks while striking out four over 5.1 innings to earn the win over the Diamondbacks on Friday.
Darvish allowed 10 runs over 25.1 innings in September after returning from a lengthy absence due to elbow inflammation, but he won three of his five starts in that span. The right-hander concludes the regular season with a 3.31 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 78:22 K:BB over 81.2 innings across 16 starts.
