Padres right-hander Yu Darvish will miss the start of the season with right elbow inflammation. This has been expected since he was sidelined after his March 13 start. Manager Mike Shildt confirmed the news on Friday, adding another layer of concern to Darvish’s enhancing injury history. Now, without Darvish, the league is witnessing a troubling trend. With seven elbow surgeries in six weeks, containing Gerrit Cole’s, is this just bad luck, or is current pitching breaking down arms quicker than ever?
Yu Darvish’s latest elbow flare-up is not an isolated situation but a pattern. Over the last three years, the star has repeatedly battled arm injuries with the Padres, landing on the IL for similar concerns. Now, Darvish enters the 2025 season already sidelined, raising issues related to his longevity. Lee Hacksaw Hamilton reviewed the situation by saying, “I would be concerned about the Darvish situation because this is the third time he has had this elbow flare in three years with the Padres, and of course, he had surgery back in 2015.”
Such a horrible history says that his body could no longer carry the needs of a full MLB season. Age only worsens the issue. Darvish is now 38. This is an age where pitchers struggle to recover from past injuries. His 2024 season was already cut short, limiting him to 16 starts, posting a 7-3 record with a 3.31 ERA, 78 strikeouts, and 81.2 innings pitched. When he was on the mound, his innings were managed carefully. Given the team’s reliance on him as a veteran starter, such an injury raises the scope that he could not be capable of helping at a high level anymore. If setbacks continue, could this be the beginning of the end for Darvish in MLB?
MLB’s pitching epidemic and the Padres rotation dilemma
Yu Darvish‘s elbow inflammation adds to a growing list of MLB pitchers facing similar issues. Identically, the Astros pitcher Luis Garcia has been shut down indefinitely because of soreness in his surgically repaired right elbow. This has disrupted his comeback from Tommy John surgery in May 2023. In addition, Rangers prospect Alejandro Rosario is going to miss the 2025 season because of an elbow injury. Such a troubling trend highlights the enhancing prevalence of elbow injuries. It also highlights the issue of the physical needs placed on the pitchers.
For the Padres, Yu Darvish’s absence is devastating. The team now has six pitchers assumed to begin the year on the IL. For instance, Joe Musgrove with Tommy John, Matt Waldron with oblique, and Bryan Hoeing with shoulder soreness are all on the list. This leaves only 17 healthy pitchers in the team to compete for 13 roster spots. Michael King has been chosen Opening Day starter, a role basically slotted for Darvish. In addition, Randy Vásquez, Stephen Kolek, and Kyle Hart are vying for rotation places. However, none carry Darvish’s experience and dominance.
Compounding the issue, injuries have reshaped the bullpen race. With limited depth, the team is forced to send their No. 6 starter to Triple-A El Paso for emergency call-ups. The rotation, once considered a power, is now filled with question marks. Can the team withstand such setbacks? Will their season hinge on unproven arms stepping up?
Yu Darvish’s injury is a vital blow, not just for the Padres, however, for a league already struggling with a pitching issue. With elbow surgeries piling up, MLB needs to address the root cause. Can Darvish defy the odds and return strong? Share your take below.
The post “It’s the Third Time”: Yu Darvish’s Worsening Injury Casts Doubt on His MLB Future appeared first on EssentiallySports.
