The Padres’ Yu Darvish is headed to the restricted list.
The move could free up payroll for the salary-crunched franchise as players on MLB’s restricted list are generally not entitled to salary.
The Japanese star will miss the entire 2026 season after undergoing elbow ligament repair surgery in November.
He is owed $15 million this season as part of the three years and $43 million left on the six-year, $108 million extension he signed with San Diego in 2023.
Earlier this offseason, Darvish reportedly told the Padres that he was retiring, leaving his big contract on the table.
Darvish’s agent, Joel Wolfe, quickly refuted that claim, telling MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand that his client’s days in the majors might not actually be over.
Darvish would shoot down the retirement rumor a short time later.
“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,” he wrote on X. “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.”
A month after his latest surgery, Darvish, 39, indicated that he might never play in the big leagues.
In December, Darvish appeared uncertain if he would pitch again in the majors.
“I’m not necessarily thinking about really pitching, as I go through this rehab process right now,” Darvish said, per MLB.com. “I don’t have that in my mind. I’m just trying to just rehab my arm right now. If I get the urge to come back, if I feel that I can stand on the mound and come back, then I will go for that. But I’ll just leave it there for now.”
Darvish was limited by injuries in 2025 and didn’t debut until early July after dealing with elbow inflammation during the first half, tossing 72 innings and going 5-5 with a 5.38 ERA and 68 strikeouts across 15 starts.
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