Yu Darvish stepped back onto the mound for the first time this season, and San Diego Padres fans finally exhaled. After months of uncertainty following his spring training elbow inflammation, the veteran pitcher’s return couldn’t have come at a better time—with the team fighting for their playoff lives.
Darvish Shows Promise Despite Rust
In his season debut against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Darvish pitched 3⅔ innings, allowing two earned runs on four hits with five strikeouts and three walks. While the 63-pitch outing wasn’t vintage Darvish, it showed encouraging signs of his pre-injury form.
Most notably, his fastball averaged 95.1 mph—an uptick from last season. The 37-year-old showcased his complete arsenal, using eight different pitch types and generating 12 swinging strikes across five offerings.
Playoff Race Intensifies
The timing of Darvish’s return is crucial for San Diego, who entered the game tied for the NL’s final wild-card position at 48-41. Manager Mike Shildt noted that Darvish completed an extensive rehab process but wasn’t fully stretched out yet, with a pitch limit around 70-75.
Can Darvish’s return be the spark that propels the Padres into October baseball once again?
