Padres' Yu Darvish to start season on injured list with elbow inflammation

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PEORIA, Ariz. (AP) — San Diego Padres right-hander Yu Darvish will start the season on the injured list because of inflammation in his right elbow, manager Mike Shildt said Friday.

Shildt said there is no timetable for Darvish's return but the team is confident Darvish will be back in the rotation following rest and a ramp-up period.

Darvish made a pair of spring training starts but was shut down after the second, a four-inning, 54-pitch outing against Kansas City on March 13. The Padres decided to have him back off his throwing program after he played catch a couple times.

Kyle Hart, Stephen Kolek and Randy Vasquez are candidates to fill Darvish’s spot in the rotation behind Michael King, Dylan Cease and Nick Pivetta.

Darvish is 110-88 with a 3.58 ERA in 12 major league seasons after pitching for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters in Japan's Pacific League from 2005-11. The 38-year-old had Tommy John surgery on March 17, 2015, and returned to a major league mound on May 28, 2016.

He had back, neck and elbow problems last season and was on the restricted list for personal reasons from early July to late August. He won three of four starts in September and was 1-1 with a 1.98 ERA in two starts against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL Division Series

Darvish came to the major leagues in 2012 after agreeing to a $56 million, six-year contract with the Texas Rangers. He was traded to the Dodgers in July 2017, became a free agent after the World Series and signed a $126 million, six-year deal with the Chicago Cubs. Darvish was dealt to San Diego after the 2020 season and in February 2023 agreed to a contract with the Padres that added an additional $90 million in guaranteed money for a total of $108 million over six year.

His 2023 season ended in late August because of a bone spur in his right elbow.

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