San Diego Padres pitcher Yu Darvish (11) delivers during the first inning against the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field on Sept. 20. Matt Marton-Imagn Images

Padres' Yu Darvish Makes Huge Surgery Announcement

Originally posted on San Diego Padres on SI
By J.P. Hoornstra | Last updated Nov 4, 2025 3:08 PM ET

It's true of every postseason: as soon as the final game is complete, the public learns things about each player's health that remained a secret for days, weeks, or months.

In the case of San Diego Padres pitcher Yu Darvish, the secret was rather large.

Darvish announced in a social media post Tuesday that he underwent internal brace surgery on his right elbow, as well as a flexor tendon repair. The major procedure will sideline him until 2027.

先週水曜日にDr.Meisterから肘の手術を受けました。
2026年シーズンは試合で投げることが出来ません。
また気持ちよくボールが投げられるようにリハビリ頑張ります。

Last Wednesday I had surgery done by Dr. Meister to repair my flexor tendon, have an internal brace attached to my UCL.I…
— ダルビッシュ有(Yu Darvish) (@faridyu) November 4, 2025

Darvish wrote on his Twitter/X and Instagram accounts that Dr. Keith Meister performed the surgery last Wednesday.

"I will be working hard on my rehab to be able to throw a ball comfortably again," Darvish wrote in Japanese.

The Padres said in a press release to generally expect a 12-to-15 month timeline for recovery.

The 2026 season was going to be Darvish's fourth year in the six-year, $108 million contract extension signed in February 2023.

Darvish was placed on the injured list in March with inflammation in his right elbow — often a sign of a larger underlying problem. Whether a UCL tear was part of his diagnosis at the time, or emerged during the season, is unclear.

Regardless, Darvish was able to make 15 starts in 2025, going 5-5 with a 5.38 ERA (4.82 FIP) across 72 innings. He was deceptive enough to limit opponents to a 1.18 WHIP and strike out 68 batters in 72 innings.

But Darvish was also prone to the longball (14 home runs allowed in 72 innings), and struggled in his only National League Wild Card series start against the Chicago Cubs. He faced seven batters in the first inning, allowing four hits and two runs, in the season-ending Game 3 loss on Oct. 2.

More to come on this story.

This article first appeared on San Diego Padres on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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