LIVE: Darvish discusses 6-year extension
SAN DIEGO — Yu Darvish simply would possibly find yourself ending his good profession as a San Diego Padre.
Watch a stay news convention proper now from Petco Park, the place the veteran right-hander discusses his six-year extension that runs via the 2028 season, when Darvish will flip 42. The contract is value $108 million, sources informed MLB.com.
Darvish was slated to hit free company after the upcoming season. Instead, the Padres acquire a measure of rotation safety past this 12 months. The contract is front-loaded, with Darvish slated to make $30 million in 2023, a supply informed MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand. That’s a sizeable bump from the $18 million he was initially set to earn beneath the phrases of the six-year, $126 million pact he signed with the Cubs in 2018. But stretched over six years, this new deal trims Darvish’s common annual worth from $21 million within the 2018 Cubs contract to $18 million, for competitive-balance tax functions.
The contract is a little bit of a bet for the Padres, who’re committing a major sum to a starter in his late 30s. But they’re comfy doing so with a pitcher like Darvish, who has flourished late in his profession and is coming off considered one of his greatest seasons.
Darvish recorded a 3.10 ERA throughout 30 begins final season, then posted a 2.88 ERA in 4 postseason begins. On a workers with quite a few ace-caliber arms, Darvish emerged because the Opening Day starter, and he began Game 1 of the NL Wild Card Series and NL Championship Series.
With Darvish on board, the Padres have the muse of their future rotation in place, having signed Joe Musgrove to a long-term extension final summer time. Those two will anchor the pitching workers, although Blake Snell stays on the right track to hit free company subsequent offseason.
Darvish arrived in San Diego through commerce following a 2020 season during which he completed because the runner-up in NL Cy Young voting. He was wonderful for a half-season in ’21 earlier than accidents set him again throughout a tough second half.
The 2022 season, nonetheless, introduced a Darvish renaissance, which he referred to as “one of the more fun seasons” of his profession. Darvish turned wholly comfy in San Diego, and when the Padres broached the topic of a doable extension final fall, he was open to it. A number of months later, every week earlier than pitchers and catchers are slated to report back to Spring Training, a deal materialized.
Darvish is about to pitch for Japan within the World Baseball Classic and can be a part of the staff at its coaching camp, that means his time at Padres Spring Training will probably be restricted. Team officers have mentioned they’re nice with that, citing Darvish’s huge expertise and his regimented routine.
Extending Darvish was all the time a precedence for the Padres this winter. Darvish responded to that overture by expressing to staff officers his need to stay in San Diego. From there, it was merely a matter of {dollars} and cents, and recently the Padres have been keen spenders. They really feel their championship window is properly and actually open.
Next up? Well, the Padres have an analogous goal in conserving Manny Machado in San Diego long-term. Machado can choose out of his contract after the 2023 season, however the staff is hopeful he gained’t attain free company. Neither the Padres nor Machado have commented on any ongoing negotiations.
