After suffering a season-ending elbow injury, San Diego pitcher Yu Darvish is out of action for an indefinite time. Amid retirement rumors that have followed, the Padres shifted the conversation with a World Baseball Classic announcement. 

The 39-year-old Yu Darvish announced on his social media that he’s been selected to participate in the WBC as an advisor. Darvish will travel to Japan to help his national team, Samurai Japan, prepare for the World Baseball Classic at the Miyazaki Spring Camp. The Japanese national baseball team confirmed the news, making an official announcement on their website on February 12th

“After I told the national team coach about the surgery in October,” Darvish said in a statement. “I thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be possible to be related to the team in any form?’ and then I participated in the national team camp. I hope the players will pass on my experience and participate in the competition with confidence. I would like to thank Director Ibata and Samurai Japan for this opportunity.”

The Japanese legend helped his national team secure the WBC national championship twice, in 2009 and 2023. During his last appearance in 2023, he allowed four earned runs and three home runs in six innings and helped Japan secure the WBC title. The massive win earned him a six-year, $108 million contract with the Padres.

Darvish’s experience would help benefit the Japan national team, giving them a unique opportunity to learn from his expertise and provide confidence in securing one more WCP title for their country. Per the WBC schedule, Samurai Japan will host their camp in Miyazaki. They would play their first two consecutive games in Softbank and Miyazaki on February 22 and 23.

News served to you like never before!

Prefer us on Google, To get latest news on feed

Prefer Us on Google

After that, they would move to Nagoya to face the Chunichi Dragons on February 27 and 28. In the following week, they would move to Osaka to face Orix and Hanshin on March 2 and 3. They would then move to Tokyo to play in the first round of the WBC, facing Taiwan, South Korea, Australia, and the Czech Republic in succession.

Darvish will be with the national team during his elbow rehabilitation, keeping his retirement rumors alive.

Yu Darvish’s retirement still looks unclear

MLB insider Bob Nightengale reported in late January that Yu Darvish all but confirmed his retirement, with three years and $43 million left in his contract. Darvish is on a six-year contract signed in 2023 with the Padres, which runs through 2028.

“Darvish says he’s leaning towards voiding his contract, but he’s going to attempt to fully rehab from his surgery, and if he cannot do so, he’ll step away from baseball,” Dodgers Nation shared via X.

Following the reports, Darvish’s agent, Joel Wolfe, responded, stating that the veteran right-hander has not made his final decision yet. He indicated that his retirement is still under discussion, keeping his future with the Padres uncertain.

The Japanese star spent his last five seasons with San Diego, posting a 3.97 ERA and averaging 9.4 strikeouts per nine innings. However, his final season proved challenging, lowering his career average. Last season, he went 5–5 with a 5.38 ERA and an 8.5 strikeout rate in his nine innings across 15 starts. With his future uncertain, we need to wait and see how it unfolds with the Padres.