San Diego Padres pitcher Yu Darvish expressed uncertainty about returning to the mound following surgery on his right elbow in late October. The 39-year-old, speaking at a charity event, focused on rehab without committing to a comeback. He has three years left on his contract but is ruled out for 2026.
Yu Darvish, the veteran San Diego Padres starter, spoke candidly about his pitching future during a charity event for the Ronald McDonald House of San Diego on Monday, a month and a half after undergoing surgery on his right elbow. The procedure repaired his flexor tendon and added an internal brace to his UCL, addressing issues that plagued him throughout the 2025 season.
Darvish, who turns 39 in August, emphasized his current focus on rehabilitation. "I’m not necessarily thinking about really pitching, as I go through this rehab process right now," he said through interpreter Shingo Horie. "I don’t have that in my mind. I’m just trying to just rehab my arm right now. If I get the urge to come back, if I feel that I can stand on the mound and come back, then I will go for that. But I’ll just leave it there for now."
In 2025, Darvish missed the first three months due to elbow inflammation, opting for rest and rehab over surgery at the time. He debuted in July, making 15 starts with a 5-5 record, 5.38 ERA, and 68 strikeouts in 72 innings. His season ended in the Wild Card Series finale against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field, where he lasted just over one inning, allowing two runs on four hits. "I don’t feel like I was able to really contribute to the team during that time where I was pitching," Darvish reflected. "In my mind, I was thinking that maybe this could be it for me, so I was, in a way, grinding through this season, trying to get the best out of myself for the team."
Darvish's illustrious career includes 13 MLB seasons with the Texas Rangers, Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, and Padres, plus seven in Japan's NPB. He holds a 3.65 ERA, 2,075 strikeouts in 1,778 MLB innings, and recently surpassed Hiroki Kuroda's record with 208 combined wins (115 in MLB, 93 in Japan). A five-time All-Star, he finished top-10 in Cy Young voting four times, including two second-place showings. However, injuries have limited him to an average of just over 18 starts per season in the last three years.
He has three years remaining on a six-year extension signed before 2023, totaling $46 million ($16 million in 2026, $15 million each in 2027 and 2028), but he's out for all of 2026. Retirement remains a possibility, which would relieve the Padres' payroll, though no decision has been made. Darvish is rehabbing at Petco Park and discussing involvement with the organization, including general manager A.J. Preller.
On a personal note, Darvish's son, Shoei, committed to pitch for UCSD's Tritons starting in the 2026-27 season. "Not just as a player, but as a human ... I’m really proud of him," Darvish said.