Yu Darvish Faces Uncertain Future: Will Star Pitcher Return After Devastating Elbow Surgery?
Well, here we are again, and it’s rough news for the San Diego Padres and their fans: Yu Darvish, the seasoned right-hander, won’t be taking the mound in 2026. After undergoing surgery last week to fix the ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching elbow—a procedure that included the installation of an internal brace—Darvish faces a long rehab road ahead. The 39-year-old, who has previously battled back from Tommy John surgery, took to social media, expressing a determined spirit to regain his form and get back to throwing comfortably.
Despite a challenging 2025 season marked by elbow inflammation and a mixed performance, Darvish remains a pivotal figure for the Padres, who are now strategizing without his veteran presence in their rotation. With contract years ticking and the team juggling roster uncertainties, this setback complicates San Diego’s pitching outlook just as postseason hopes hang in the balance. Off the field, Darvish’s focus might shift—his eldest son recently committed to play baseball at UC San Diego, offering a silver lining amid the adversity. The game moves on, but Darvish’s journey—fraught with resilience and grit—is far from over.
SAN DIEGO — Right-hander Yu Darvish will miss the 2026 season with the San Diego Padres after surgery to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching elbow.
The 39-year-old Darvish also got an internal brace in the surgery performed last week, the Padres announced Tuesday.
“I will be working hard on my rehab to be able to throw a ball comfortably again,” Darvish wrote in Japanese on social media.
Darvish had Tommy John surgery in March 2015 and returned to a major league mound on May 28, 2016.
The five-time All-Star went 5-5 with a 5.38 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP in 15 starts for the Padres last season after missing the first three months due to elbow inflammation. Darvish started the decisive Game 3 of San Diego’s wild card series against the Chicago Cubs, but he took the loss after allowing two runs on four hits and failing to record an out in the second inning.
Darvish has completed three seasons of the $108 million, six-year contract he agreed to in February 2023 wkth the Padres, who acquired him before the 2021 season. Darvish led the AL in strikeouts in 2013 and led the NL in victories in 2020.
His injury is a blow to a Padres rotation that was already in flux after San Diego made the playoffs for the fourth time in six seasons, but failed to advance. Right-hander Dylan Cease is a free agent, and right-hander Michael King became a free agent Monday after declining his option for 2026.
The Padres’ remaining proven starters are Nick Pivetta, Randy Vasquez and Joe Musgrove, who is scheduled to return next year from Tommy John surgery. San Diego also acquired JP Sears in the deadline trade that also brought vaunted reliever Mason Miller, a starter earlier in his career.
Darvish will have plenty to keep him occupied during his year away from the mound: His oldest son, Shoei, has committed to play baseball at UC San Diego after he graduates from high school next year.
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