Padres' Yu Darvish Reveals Which New Pitch He'd Want to Add to Arsenal

Oct 11, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; San Diego Padres pitcher Yu Darvish (11) pitches in the first inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during game five of the NLDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

San Diego Padres pitcher Yu Darvish told the San Diego Union-Tribune which of his teammates' pitches he'd most like to add to his repertoire.

“Jason Adam’s changeup,” Darvish said. “Because I don’t have a pitch going arm-side with run. I have a splitter, but that’s more straight down. His changeup is more going that way. That’s why I want that.”

He added that while he had given it a shot before, he couldn't effectively execute it.

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Adam's changeup is his most used pitch during 2025, and it has been very successful for the right hander. His go-to option generates a swing and miss 31.9% of the time, and has secured more than one third of his strikeouts this season. Adam has an ERA of 1.64, the lowest among Padres with more than five appearances. He has featured in 32 games for the Padres this season, which leads MLB.

Darvish has a wide pitch arsenal, utilizing eight pitches on a fairly regular basis in 2024, and even gave the changeup two chances in 2023. The splitter which he talked about was one of his most effective pitches in generating whiff during his injury-abbreviated 2024 season at 32.8%.

If the veteran does want to give the pitch another shot, he'll need to wait until his return from the injured list, where he has been since spring training. Darvish hasn't stepped on the mound for the Padres since spring training, and has been on the injured list with elbow inflammation since March 27. He has made one rehab start in his road to returning May 14, but experienced tightness in his elbow after the four-inning outing and has not pitched in a game since.

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Darvish is a five-time All-Star and two-time Cy Young award runner-up, and the Padres are eager to reinstate the right-hander, though they aren't rushing him. They're currently in the middle of an incredibly tight race in the National League West, where they sit one game back of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

For more Padres news, head over to Padres on SI.