Yu Darvish Sparks Padres Return Hope With New Video From Petco Park

San Diego Padres right-handed pitcher Yu Darvish doesn't appear to have any plans to retire.

Despite offseason rumors that Darvish was going to call it a career, the right-hander posted a video on social media on Friday of him throwing at Petco Park for the first time since his surgery.

"It’s been about six months since my surgery, and I’ve started playing catch," Darvish wrote.

Darvish underwent internal brace surgery as well as a flexor tendon repair on his right elbow in late October 2025. He immediately ruled himself out for the 2026 season, with an eye toward returning in 2027.

Then, over the offseason, a report came out from the San Diego Union-Tribune that Darvish was planning on retiring and foregoing the final three years and $46 million on his contract. Darvish quickly responded to the report on social media.

“You may have seen an article, and although I am leaning towards voiding the contract, there’s still a lot that has to be talked over with the Padres so the finer details are yet to be decided," Darvish wrote.

"Also I will not be announcing my retirement yet. Right now I am fully focused on my rehab for my elbow, and if I get to a point where I can throw again, I will start from scratch again to compete. If once I get to that point I feel I can’t do that, I will announce my retirement.”

In March, Darvish elected to go on the restricted list, foregoing his $16 million salary for the 2026 season. However, it appears he's still pushing to return for 2027, when he would still be owed $30 million over two seasons.

"He's not saying that he's retiring," Preller said after Darvish was placed on the restricted list. "That's not where we're at. But for him, he's going to see how he comes back. He's coming back from a major surgery, a second surgery on the elbow. So I think he's realistic about where that leaves him. But Yu Darvish is a very special person, very special player, very unique. His situation is unique."

Preller added: "Somebody that’s thinking about the good of the organization, the team, the fan base, wanting to get back. And if you can’t put your heart into it, it would be very easy for him just to say, ‘You know what, I’m going to sit on the IL.’ And what that means for him from a compensation standpoint. He’s not doing that. He knows that his heart’s not quite into it. He’s going to continue with the rehab process and maybe we get to next year and he’s feeling in a different place and he wants to come back and give it a go."

The Padres acquired Darvish ahead of the 2021 season in a blockbuster trade with the Chicago Cubs. Before the 2023 season, the Padres signed the then-36-year-old to a six-year, $108 million extension.

Across five seasons with San Diego, Darvish has a 3.97 ERA over 651 innings pitched. He has a career 3.65 ERA over 1,778 innings at the MLB level.

This was Darvish's second major elbow surgery, as he underwent Tommy John surgery in March 2015.

He turns 40 in August.

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