The San Diego Padres have been one of Major League Baseball’s best teams this season. When it comes to his pitching staff, Padres manager Mike Shildt has done a good job managing injuries. Yu Darvish, who has not thrown this season due to an elbow injury, is almost ready to return. However, Shildt stated that it will not be played on Sunday against the Texas Rangers.
Darvish has been working his way back from the injured list since the beginning of the year. The 12th-year pro has recovered nicely and will make his MLB debut in 2025 before the All-Star break. Shildt told MLB.com’s AJ Cassavell that Darvish’s return is “very close”. However, his return is more likely to happen against Arizona Diamodback Next Week.
If the five-time All-Star returns to full strength, he may provide the Padres with a much-needed boost. San Diego has lost their consistency since losing Michael King to the IL. Darvish must perform admirably if the Padres are to close the gap on the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West race.
While King and Dylan Cease are expected to remain Shildt’s top two alternatives, a strong performance by Darvish could propel him to third place. Following Joe Musgrove’s season-ending Tommy John surgery, fans were apprehensive about San Diego’s pitching. Instead, the Padres rank among the top 10 in nearly every significant pitching category.
Darvish’s return is significant as Shildt shifts his focus to the postseason. San Diego came as close as anyone to defeating the Dodgers, but fell short against their star-studded offense. With his starter back, Shildt now has four starts capable of winning a playoff game.
All eyes will be on Darvish when he makes his debut start, either against the Diamondbacks or the Philadelphia Phillies. If he is dominant, the Padres’ World Series hopes will become much more realistic.
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