Padres reveal encouraging Yu Darvish return timeline after key injury update

The San Diego Padres may soon see the long-awaited return of Yu Darvish, who has yet to make his 2025 MLB season debut due to an elbow injury. On Friday morning, team president of baseball operations AJ Preller delivered a promising update regarding the veteran right-hander’s status during an appearance on “Ben and Woods” on 97.3 The Fan San Diego.

Before his current stint on the injured list, Darvish compiled a strong 2024 season, finishing with a 7–3 record over 16 starts. Across 81.2 innings, the 13-year MLB veteran posted a 3.31 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, and held opponents to just 30 earned runs, striking out 78 while walking only 22.

His ability to control the strike zone and generate weak contact made him one of the more reliable arms in the Padres’ rotation. Getting him back could prove vital as San Diego aims to keep pace with the Los Angeles Dodgers in a tight NL West race.

Darvish’s injury update

“He’s had really good evals, he’s with the team on the road trip,” Preller explained. “He threw a bullpen in Houston and another one in Detroit. He’s starting to get some volume and he’s feeling good. I think he’ll continue to progress with bullpens and start getting back into games.”

Yu Darvish #11 of the San Diego Padres pitches the ball against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the first inning of Game Five of the Division Series at Dodger Stadium on October 11, 2024. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

This is the clearest indication yet that Darvish is on track to rejoin the active roster in the coming weeks, a development that could significantly impact the club’s postseason aspirations.

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