Padres’ Rotation Woes Grow Deeper After Yu Darvish Shocker

The Padres already have issues with their starting rotation, with Joe Musgrove also set to miss the start of the 2026 season. President of baseball operations A.J. Preller is considering trade opportunities to address the problem. However, the search will become more intense if Darvish decides to void his contract.

Yu Darvish Responds to Report About His Retirement

Following the report regarding his retirement from the game, Yu Darvish issued a statement to clarify his position on the matter. The San Diego Padres right-hander declared that he has not officially announced the decision. Darvish said he is completely focused on rehabbing from his elbow surgery for the moment. He will call time on his career if his recovery process does not allow him to get back on the mound in a strong state.

“You may have seen an article, and although I am leaning towards voiding the contract, there’s still a lot that has to be talked over with the Padres, so the final details are yet to be decided,” Darvish stated in a post on X.

“Also, I will not be announcing my retirement yet. Right now, I am fully focused on my rehab for my elbow, and if I get to a point where I can throw again, I will start from scratch again to compete. If once I get to that point, I feel I can’t do that, I will announce my retirement.”

Darvish completed his fifth campaign with the Padres last year. He posted a 5-5 record with a 5.38 ERA over 15 starts in 2025.

Padres Clear Air in Response to Yu Darvish Statement

The San Diego Padres front office released a statement to clarify their stance following the report about Darvish’s retirement. President of baseball operations A.J. Preller said that the organization has remained in full contact with the Japanese right-hander throughout the winter.

“We have been in regular communication with Yu throughout the offseason and his post-surgery rehab,” Preller said, as per The Athletic. “We have great respect for him and will continue to support him in his decision-making process.”

Joel Wolfe, the agent for Yu Darvish, also clarified that the veteran starting pitcher is not retiring just yet. He issued a tweet to make his statement on the matter.

“Yu has not made a final decision yet,” Wolfe posted via X. “This is a complicated matter we are still working through.”

Darvish arrived in San Diego following a trade deal with the Chicago Cubs. He later signed a six-year, $108 million extension with the Padres in 2022. He will forfeit the bulk of the $43 million he is owed in the remaining three years of his contract if he retires.