Yu Darvish was just extended by the San Diego Padres and will stay in California through his age-42 season.
Darvish was a top Japanese league pitcher when the Texas Rangers gave him a six-year contract ahead of the 2012 campaign.
He was 25 at the time.
He had a fantastic five-and-a-half-year stint in the Lone Star state and was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers as a rental to help fuel their World Series run that ended in a defeat at the hands of the Houston Astros.
Ahead of the 2018 campaign, he put pen to paper on a six-year pact with the Chicago Cubs.
He spent three seasons there and was flipped to the Padres before 2021.
He was scheduled to hit free agency after the 2023 World Series, but the Padres didn’t let him.
Today, both parties agreed to a six-year extension worth $108 million.
Oddly, it is his third six-year contract in MLB.
“Yu Darvish was set to be a free agent after this season. Instead, he’s signing the third six-year deal of his career — first with Texas, then Chicago — and should finish his career in San Diego. First on the news was @Feinsand and @AJCassavell,” MLB insider Jeff Passan tweeted.
Yu Darvish was set to be a free agent after this season. Instead, he's signing the third six-year deal of his career — first with Texas, then Chicago — and should finish his career in San Diego. First on the news was @Feinsand and @AJCassavell.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) February 9, 2023
Darvish is fresh off one of his finest seasons in MLB, with a 3.10 ERA in 194.2 innings.
He struck out 197 hitters and had a 0.95 WHIP, the best mark of his career.
San Diego is confident that he will remain an enthusiastic student of the game, someone who is willing to adapt to improve and remain competitive.
If there is a veteran pitcher capable of pulling off the feat of being effective through his age-42 campaign, it’s Darvish.
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