Fansided

Cubs’ Yu Darvish, finally pitching again, optimistic about return

By David Salituro

CHICAGO, IL - JUNE 19: Yu Darvish #11 of the Chicago Cubs is seen in the dugout during a game between the Cubs and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Wrigley Field on June 19, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, IL - JUNE 19: Yu Darvish #11 of the Chicago Cubs is seen in the dugout during a game between the Cubs and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Wrigley Field on June 19, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

Cubs pitcher Yu Darvish, out since May with a right triceps injury, is throwing again and feels he is close to pitching again this season.

Yu Darvish is finally hopeful that he will be able to pitch again this season.

The Chicago Cubs right-hander threw 50 pitches in a bullpen session on Saturday, and said afterward he is confident about his progress.

“All my pitches, velocity-wise, were up there at their highest and then I was able to follow through with my arm,” Darvish said through an interpreter. “Now that I’m pitching, I’m very optimistic about this process.”

Darvish has not pitched since May 20 while suffering from triceps tendinitis in his throwing arm. The 31-year-old has made just eight starts for the Cubs this season after signing a six-year, $126 million contract in free agency, with a record of 1-3 and 4.95 ERA. The Cubs (64-46) currently hold a 1.5 game lead over Milwaukee for the NL Central lead.

Cubs manager Joe Maddon said he could tell from his demeanor that Darvish is starting to feel better after watching him throw.

“He seems a little more upbeat. His smile was easier,” Maddon said. “I try to read body language and faces, and when you ask pitchers how they’re feeling, they reveal what’s going on, and normally it is the smile. I took that as a good thing.”

Darvish is in his seventh Major League season after signing with the Texas Rangers out of Japan in 2012. A three-time All-Star, he has 57 wins and a 3.49 ERA for his career. He split last season between Texas and the NL champion Los Angeles Dodgers, but in two World Series starts had an ERA of 21.60. In Game 7 against Houston he surrendered four earned runs in just 1 2/3 innings.

Earlier this week, Darvish found himself involved in a controversy with ESPN’s Alex Rodriguez. While commenting on Chicago’s Sunday night game against St. Louis on July 29, Rodriguez said Darvish should be in Arizona getting rehab instead of staying with the team. Theo Epstein, Cubs president of baseball operations, talked to Rodriguez afterwards.

Darvish, however, isn’t in a hurry to mend fences with Rodriguez.

“If he sends me a text message or something, I’ll keep it and maybe take a screen shot and print it out and frame it,” he said.

“I’m not joking,” he added sarcastically in English.

Next: Top Starting Pitcher Of All-Time From Every MLB Team

If Darvish and Rodriguez want to meet, they won’t have to wait long. The Cubs play on Sunday night again Aug. 12 against Washington.

Home/Chicago Cubs