Padres' Yu Darvish Will Miss Start of Season Due to Injury

Oct 11, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; San Diego Padres pitcher Yu Darvish (11) reacts in the sixth 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 right-handed pitcher Yu Darvish will begin the season on the injured list because of elbow inflammation. This comes as no surprise given the updates surrounding the veteran in recent days; however, manager Mike Shildt confirmed the speculation Friday.

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There is currently no timetable for Darvish's return to the rotation, and the Padres will have to find a replacement with just a few days remaining before Opening Day.

Yu Darvish (elbow inflammation) will miss the start of the season -- news that has been expected for a few days but was just confirmed by Mike Shildt. No timetable, though Shildt said: "We feel pretty comfortable that some rest and getting ramped back up will be the answer."

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"We feel pretty comfortable that some rest and getting ramped back up will be the answer," Shildt told reporters Friday.

Last season, Darvish went 7-3 with a 3.31 ERA, 78 strikeouts, and a 1.065 WHIP across 81.2 innings pitched.

Prior to spring training, Shildt and pitching coach Ruben Niebla had already discussed the idea of limiting Darvish's pitches and innings in 2025.

“We’re gonna watch, we’re gonna pay attention, we’re gonna listen to him, we’re gonna watch the metrics,” Niebla said, via Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune. “But Yu is the one guy that you can trust on this more than anybody else. He’s so aware.

The soon-to-be 39-year-old will gave the Padres two strong performances in the postseason against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL Division Series. The veteran allowed just one run in seven innings during Game 2 and two runs in 6.2 innings in Game 5.

The Padres know Darvish's health is of upmost importance come October, so the team won't opt to overwork the right-hander early in the season.

Although Darvish missing the start of the season can be discouraging, the Padres are focused on winning 11 games in October. It's during the postseason that the Padres need Darvish's poise and experience the most.

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