SURPRISE, ARIZONA - MARCH 13: Yu Darvish #11 of the San Diego Padres pitches during a spring training game against the Kansas City Royals at Surprise Stadium on March 13, 2025 in Surprise, Arizona. (Photo by Matt Thomas/San Diego Padres/Getty Images)
The San Diego Padres will be without Yu Darvish to start the season, the veteran pitcher has been placed on the 15-day injured list with right elbow inflammation. At 38 years old, its fair to wonder how ling it will take Darvish to return from this one.
Darvish dealt with elbow discomfort during spring training, which limited his outings. His last start came on March 13 against the Kansas City Royals, where he threw four innings, striking out four while walking two. Shortly after, the team decided to shut him down to avoid further risk.
With Darvish out, the Padres will need to fill a rotation spot. Two pitchers in the mix to fill in for Darvish are Randy Vásquez and Kyle Hart. Vásquez has been competing for a rotation spot throughout spring training and has shown some promise throughout the spring. Hart, who spent last season in the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO), brings an intriguing left-handed option to the staff.
Padres manager Mike Shildt remains optimistic about Darvish’s recovery but emphasized that the team is going to take a cautious approach. The focus is on rest and rehab, but with elbow injuries always being tricky, the Padres will closely monitor his progress before setting a potential return date.
As the season gets underway, the Padres will have to make do without one of their most reliable starters. While there’s hope Darvish will be back sooner rather than later, the Padres will home to find some solid production from whoever fills his shoes.
