The San Diego Padres’ postseason dreams and hopes hit a snag Thursday as Yu Darvish, who was pressed into action following the Chicago Cubs’ letdown earlier, performed far from ideal. The plan didn’t unfold in the best way possible, given that Darvish lasted just two innings in Game 3 of the NL Wild Card Series.

He recorded only three outs before he exited with the bases loaded and a 1-0 deficit screaming on the board. Then Jeremiah Estrada took over, but the relief effort quickly unravelled, as the next batter walked home to push Chicago’s lead to 2-0.

Sure, Darvish had his moments of shine, like him striking out Matt Shaw and inducing that 3-6-1 double play. But even then, the Padres were not able to use his early-season postseason form.

Now, historically, Yu Darvish has been a rock for the team in October. For example, in 2022, he posted a 2.88 ERA over 25 innings in the postseason. In 2024, though, he tightened things even more with a 1.98 ERA across his two starts. Heading into this game, he had a 2.56 ERA and a .905 WHIP in October, and this makes his exit so quick all the more surprising. It is truly a reminder that aces can have off days, and maybe the Padres couldn’t wait for things to simply unravel. And finally, even the fans seem to have lost their cool on Darvish now.

San Diego Padres fans call for Yu Darvish’s retirement

The San Diego Padres fans were quick to vent after Yu Darvish’s rough Wild Card start. One of them tweeted, “Great career, but be a guy and retire.” And this captures the frustration the fans have. Because, since returning from the injury sustained in July, he has been inconsistent. He is going 5-5 with a 5.38 ERA, which is way above his 3.31 mark back in 2024. Last October, he was stellar in the postseason against the Dodgers. But this season, in a do-or-die Wild Card outing, he has struggled, and that’s left question marks not just on the team’s skipper but also on fans.

A user on X dissed the San Diego Padres bullpen decision, saying, “Absurd decision. King? What? How does Merrill not get under that hit?” The fans are done with the key pitching choices. And well, the Padres do have a rested bullpen, with only three relievers used in Game 2. Adrian Morejon and Mason Miller are not options for long outings after the heavy workloads they have had to handle. That being said, Michael King has not come yet, and he could be the Padres’ go-to long relief if the need arises. He could keep the hope alive in those critical moments.

“He’s low-key nervous. I think lmao, I kinda feel bad for him,” mentioned a fan. And well, this might be a mix of sympathy and humor that the Padres supporters may be feeling right now. Because, no doubt, he has been a no-brainer when healthy, which is why he got the contract. However, right now the situation is different. With the game slipping away, Bob Melwin too had said, “We had to do what was best for the team.” And it highlights the win-or-go-home mindset right now. There is essentially no time to second-guess or redo. The sad part is that Darvish was supposed to do what Kyle Tucker couldn’t, yet that’s far from reality. 

Given the rough outings by him, one fan said, “Absolute bum. Hope he retires tonight.” The patience is running thin, but it is understandable given the team signed a six-year $108 million extension in 2023. But he faced a few rough, injury-riddled seasons. Recently, he missed the majority of the second half of 2025 due to inflammation of his elbows. Now 37, Darvish’s struggles have some questioning how much longer he can carry the load. And whether the high investment was even worth it, some even accused him of stealing the money, given that his worth has not been accounted for to the fans.

Fans can’t help but ask, “Why are they even starting him?” Because ever since the Padres got Darvish from Chicago back in 2020, he has been a regular visitor to the injured list. Last year was tough, too, given he made only 16 starts. The fewest he had made since 2020. First, it was neck tightness in April, then a left groin strain that kept him out till September. So, with this painful history, it is understandable why fans are questioning whether the team can really rely on this player for the big plays in the postseason.