The President of Baseball Operations and General Manager A.J. Preller announced that the Padres have signed right-hander Yu Darvish to a new six-year contract through the 2028 season. In 30 starts last season, Darvish went 16-8 with a 3.10 ERA, .207 opponents average, and 197 strikeouts to just 37 walks (5.32 SO/BB ratio). He also led the National League with 25 quality starts and threw 6.0 or more innings in 28 of his 30 outings, tied for most in the majors with the Yankees’ Gerrit Cole.
Additionally, on September 2, Darvish surpassed the 3,000-strikeout mark in his 17th professional season between Japan and Major League Baseball, which is a massive achievement. Darvish is a five-time MLB All-Star, having posted a 95-75 career record with a 3.50 ERA (579 ER, 1488.0 IP), 1.13 WHIP, .217 opponents average, and 1,788 strikeouts in 242 career Major League starts between the Texas Rangers, Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, and Padres. He has finished in the Top 10 of Cy Young voting four times in his career (9th in AL in 2012, 2nd in AL in 2013, 2nd in NL in 2020, 8th in NL in 2022).
Since making his MLB debut in 2012, Darvish ranks 4th among qualifying starters in opponents average, 6th in strikeouts, and 11th in fWAR (32.3). Darvish played seven seasons with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of the Nippon Professional Baseball League, where he went 93-38 with a 1.99 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 55 CG, 18 SHO, and 1,250 SO in 167 games (164 starts).
Darvish's signing is a significant move for the Padres, as he has been an essential asset to the team's pitching staff. His performance last season highlights his excellent pitching, which is a much-needed boost for the Padres. The Padres aim to continue improving their record and strengthening their position in the MLB rankings.
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