Longtime major-leaguer and current Padres starter Yu Darvish is contemplating retirement. A report from Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune indicated that Darvish was retiring. Darvish’s agent, Joel Wolfe, refuted that report. “Yu has not made a final decision yet. This is a complicated matter we are still working through,” said Wolfe (link via Alden Gonzalez of ESPN).
Darvish addressed the situation through a statement on his X account. “Although I am leaning towards voiding the contract,” he said, “there’s still a lot that has to be talked over with the Padres so the finer details are yet to be decided. 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.”
The 39-year-old right-hander is owed $43MM over 2026-28 from the extension he and the Padres signed in April 2023. If he retires without reaching a settlement, he would forfeit that money. As Darvish indicated, he and the Padres may be working on a buyout that would see him keep some portion of his salary while giving the team significant cost savings over the next three years.
If he does decide to retire, he’ll be wrapping up an incredible 21-year career across Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball and MLB. In 2005, Darvish made his debut at age 18 for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters. He pitched 94 1/3 innings over 14 starts as a rookie that year, following it up with a 2.89 ERA in 149 2/3 innings in 2006. From 2007-11, he was absolutely dominant, totaling 1,024 1/3 innings with a 1.72 ERA, 1,083 strikeouts, and a cumulative record of 76-28. Darvish was an NPB All-Star in every season in that span, twice being named the Pacific League MVP (2007 and 2009) and winning the Sawamura Award (NPB’s equivalent of the Cy Young) in 2007.
More to come.
Pardon?
Congratulations, Yu, on a distinguished career here and abroad.
He won me over when he lost game 7 against the Astros then took all the press questions
The fact he’s forfeiting so much money and just shrugs his shoulders. Yu is a legend
Lol! “This is a complicated matter we are still working through,” said Wolfe. Forfeiting what money?
Read other reports saying it’s not done yet but would be forfeiting most of the salary he’s owed. Think it’s mostly deferrals and bonuses that are the complicated matter.
He’s got a quarter billion banked. He can afford to shrug.
I agree… Legend!
Sounds like a deferral settlement is in the works. A clear instance where such a deal is a good thing for all parties and baseball, not mainly a luxury tax avoidance scheme.
Perhaps after seeing J-Ram’s deal this becomes far more common and team owners of small market teams see it as how they can more easily afford higher priced talent
Yuuuuuuu
Wow. Must be tired of the rehab. Good career.
Excellent career!
He holds the record for the starting pitcher needing the fewest starts to reach 1500 K’s. He did so in around 10 fewer games than Randy Johnson.
I hope he stays in the Padres organization as a pitching guru.
Great piece of trivia, thanks!
A fascinating career and a fascinating player.
Yu kidding!
Seriously, nice career here, congrats and good luck on whatever is next.
Does he still earn the $46mil left on his deal?
Good question, I’m not sure.
He’s probably very injured at this point, especially entering his Age-40 season.
He was out for all of 2026, so he would have returned at age 40-41. Shame that he can’t pitch in the World Baseball Classic due to his injury.
If he actually retires? No, he forfeits any remaining money. It doesn’t sound like he intends to sit on the IL for two years and there’s no mention of a buyout so perhaps he is actually walking away
They’ll probably come to some agreement where he’ll still get the money. That’s likely why I the agent says they haven’t decided yet.
Voluntary Retirement: If he decides he cannot play and officially retires, the remaining $46 million (roughly $16M in 2026, $15M in 2027, and $15M in 2028) would likely come off the Padres’ books, providing them with financial relief.
Injury/Buyout Option: Because he is currently rehabbing from major elbow surgery (UCL and flexor tendon repair) following a difficult 2025 season, it is possible for him to negotiate a settlement or simply stay on the injured list.
Other Options: Rather than a simple retirement, Darvish and the Padres might explore a potential buyout or a transition into a special advisor/front-office role, which could allow him to collect some compensation, notes
Darvish earned the contract, and was injured while playing under its terms. He could have just continued to rehab and collected everything that was owed no matter if he pitched again or not.
Usually in these circumstances there is some form of buyout. The least likely option is that he simply walked away from all the money that was owed, but who knows? Not my business to worry about it.
Congrats Yu – you were a terrific pitcher for a long time.
Exactly – Bassitt or Giolito or Valdez to SD now ala Pivetta deal last year.
The report from the San Diego Union Tribune indicates he will “give up much” of what he is owed.
not if he retires, i believe.
Seriously not kidding, I was reading about Cutch, reflecting on his incoming retirement.
Refreshed the page, and saw “Yu Darvish To Retire”.
Wow… he left a decent amount of change on the table ($46 mil). That’s pretty noble of him. Too bad it might be too late for the Padres to use it now. Enjoy retirement Yu.
Framber Valdez
Bring back Arraez
Take a flier on Goldy
Sigh Bassitt Gallen
Sign someone like Justin Turner to DH
Bring in Tauchmann as a 4th OF
Plenty of ways to spend that money to improve them
Had a great career in MLB with 2000+ strikeouts. Most strikeouts thrown by a Japanese pitcher so far. Loved him Texas. Happy retirement, Yu.
Not a hall of famer so don’t even start debating that nonsense.
I feel sad 😞 we should have won game 5 for him in 2024.
Thanks for your contributions to the Friars…best of luck in moving into the front office!
Congrats to Darvish. Solid career in two countries.
Walking away from 43 million dollars and 3 years left
Congratulations Yu on a fantastic career. You’ll be missed.
Always loved using Darvish in fantasy. He’s had a tough the last few years, though. All the best to him in retirement.
I guess we spoke too soon…hmmm…
There’s no way he would leave money on the table like that. There must be some sort of deal in place.
Maybe he chose family -or something else more important- over money
Dugmet I started tearing up when I read your comment. Lol.
Laugh all you want but: (1) he said he probably wouldn’t finish this co tract when he signed it; (2) he walked away from about 2 mil in 2024 while being with an ailing brother when he was on IL.
We hardly knew Yu.
Helluva career. If it weren’t for injuries, who knows what his numbers would have been. Best Japanese born pitcher in MLB history as of today?
Congrats on a great career!
The only retired pitcher in the running would be Nomo.
Unfortunate news for those hoping to sign Framber Valdez. As this could make the Padres more of a contender for his services.
I think most fanbases are like, that’s ok you can have him…
He has been a good role model for young Japanese players headed to the states. Congrats on a solid career.
Yu’s humility when he passed Hideo Nomo in strikeouts was just another example that he truly exuded class.
Aloha Larry, agree with you 100% in regard to Yu-san! A real ambassador for the game both in Japan and here in the states. Will be missed! Gunbarenasu Yu-san! Arigatou Gozaimasu! Mahalo
Yu gotta be kidding us. Been a pretty solid all the way through. Thank Yu
Love a guy that does not hang on for the money
Thanks for all the memories and what you brought to SD yu
Hopefully Yu can continue on in the front office or coaching with padres in some capacity
So what does this mean for the padres financial outlook going forward
Absolutely legendary career and if he’s leaving the money behind, he’s thinking about the team which is an honorable thing to do. Roy Halladay did the same. His abilities and health diminished and he retired early and gave up the remaining money because he wasn’t going to earn it.
A class act, I wish him well and yes, as a Dodger fan, I’m the first to admit our fans should have been kinder to him.
It’s fine man. We all accepted a long time ago that your fan base was full of dbags. You seem ok though.
As Reggie Jackson, Mr. October, once said: “They don’t boo nobodies”.
I like Yu the person, but he was brutal that World Series. I read somewhere that he was the only starter to make multiple starts in a single World Series and not complete 2 innings in either start. He completely no showed.
The cheaters said he was tipping his pitches. And they wouldn’t lie, of course.
I was extremely disappointed in our fans after the WS. I always thought he had to have been tipping pitches or something and was hoping that offseason that he’d get another shot (with us) at correcting 2017.
Really helps out SD payroll wise.Wonder if they might now be play for Framber.
Hopefully the team and he can agree on a role in the FO for him. He is a Padre. I don’t care who else he played for.
If injuries hadn’t sidelined him, his career numbers would’ve been much better.
Three years $48 million on the table
He’s retiring, I think Darvish and The Padres are working out some sort of restructuring/buyout of his contract. Either way, he’ll be paid something just not the $43-46 million. Just sucks that his last moment as a Padre was starting an elimination playoff game with no elbow which again begs the question why he was pitching let alone starting in that game
Darvish always struck me as a classy guy. He’ll do what’s right for himself.
Something I’ve always kind of wondered about retiring in major league baseball. I know it’s forbidden but wouldn’t be shocked if this has happened in the past. Other than legal and moral issues, what is stopping an MLB team from paying an injured or underperforming player to retire, under the table? That way the guy still gets payed and it doesn’t count towards payroll. I imagine it would be pretty easy to get away with.
I remember buying tickets behind the bullpen to watch Yu warmup in his very first game with The Rangers. I was absolutely thrilled to be a part of baseball history and witness the greatest Japanese hitter, Ichiro, face the greatest Japanese pitcher in Yu Darvish… as a part of The Rangers!
I loved going to Darvish starts and hearing Soulja Boy Crank That blaring, what a vibe. He would sometimes throw from both the left and right side when warming up or bullpens. Every time Darvish was on the mound in 2013, it felt like he was capable of a no-hitter. He finished second in Cy voting that year, but still quite possibly the greatest individual year for a Ranger starter.
I got to see many Darvish starts in person, and got to see all of his 8 plus pitches. When he didn’t have his best control or most electric stuff, Yu would dig deep and give you innings and keep you competitive. What a warrior. What a career and individual. Thank you for all the great memories Yu!!
Wolfe’s comments translated sound like “Hey wait, if you retire and give up all that money, I don’t get paid.”
Awesome of Yu. And I won’t say it’s good news for the Padres, I don’t think any team wants players to get hurt. But this should really help them to stay competitive as a small market team, in the same division as the Dodgers. I am a Dodgers fan, and no, the Padres and Dodgers don’t have a rivalry like Giants and Dodgers do.. but what’s gone on over the last few seasons has been fun to watch, and hopefully this keeps the Padres iron a little deeper in the fire.
Get on with it. The team still has needs and there’s still something to scrape off the barrel.
San Diego should immediately send their 3 or 4th best starter and 4 of their best prospects to Philadelphia for Taijuan Walker and Nick Castellanos.
Wait… it went from “ he’s retiring” to “ he’s contemplating” retirement “, that’s kind of two very different things, the latter including agent and family who may well “weigh in with “ have you lost your damn mind? Do you see how much $$$$ you’re leaving in the table?”.
Went from news to nothing has changed. He said all this months ago
“A report from Kevin Acee…….” Yeah, that’s not saying much. How does the SDUT keep him around as a Padres beat writer?
Class act dude. Always welcome to Chicago ,pitched awesome for the Cubs.