The San Diego Padres announced on Tuesday that veteran Starting Pitcher Yu Darvish underwent successful elbow surgery last week in Arlington, Texas. The surgeon, Dr. Keith Meister, repaired the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) with an internal brace and also repaired his flexor tendon. Darvish is expected to miss all of the 2026 season.
Yu Darvish’s History Of Elbow Problems
This is not Darvish’s first elbow procedure. After an exceptional start to his MLB career with the Texas Rangers, the Japanese star missed the end of the 2014 season and all of the 2015 season due to Tommy John surgery on his UCL. Darvish then missed two-thirds of the 2018 season due to arthroscopic surgery. Now, Darvish faces 12-15 months of recovery and rehab again for his second UCL procedure, as well as repair work on the flexor tendon.
Yu Darvish’s Impact
When healthy, Darvish can be an ace to any rotation. He is a five-time All-Star who has finished in the top 10 of the Cy Young voting four times. When he returns in 2027, he will be 40 years old, so it is not a guarantee that he will be the same pitcher. Injuries limited the righty to just 15 starts in 2025, posting a 5-5 record with an uncharacteristic 5.38 ERA.
Darvish has 11 pitches in his arsenal, and his fastball has been clocked at 99 miles per hour at times during his career. The righty averages 10.5 strikeouts per nine innings, and he has struck out more than 200 batters in a season four times. He has a career record of 115-93 with a 3.65 ERA and 2,075 career strikeouts in 1,778 innings.
What Will San Diego’s Rotation Look Like Without Yu Darvish?
Photo courtesy of David Frerker via Imagn Images
San Diego went 90-72 in 2025, and a lot of that winning had to do with pitching. The staff ranked third in MLB in ERA, strikeouts, and WHIP. Despite that success, there is major upheaval on the horizon, especially when it comes to the team’s rotation. Dylan Cease, Michael King, Nestor Cortes, and Kyle Hart are all free agents this offseason.
Now, with Darvish out, that just leaves Nick Pivetta, Randy Vásquez, trade deadline acquisition JP Sears, Joe Musgrove, Matt Waldron, and Omar Cruz as potential returning starters. Musgrove missed all of 2025 and will be returning from Tommy John surgery. Waldron only pitched one game in the majors last season, and Cruz pitched just two relief outings.
It will be interesting to see if the Padres go after some arms in free agency this winter. Besides their own free agents, names like Framber Valdez, Ranger Suárez, Shota Imanaga, Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly, Justin Verlander, and Max Scherzer are available. Will San Diego spend the money to go with a big name, or will they dip into their farm system? Only time will tell.
