Stunning Yu Darvish update could indicate his Padres career has chance to be resurrected

Back when Yu Darvish's internal brace surgery on his right elbow was announced, the five-time All-Star made the seemingly insane claim that he'd be back on an MLB mound at some point in the future. Set to turn 40 years old in a year he'd miss due to recovery, it just didn't seem reasonable for him to try and come back from such a serious injury this late in his career.

Well, for the umpteenth time in his life, Darvish is proving everyone wrong once again. The Japanese icon recently threw his second bullpen session at Petco Park since the surgery per MLB.com's AJ Cassavell, progressing along in his rehab at a steady pace.

There's no guarantee that Darvish does wind up returning -- he's left open the possibility of retirement once he's fully recovered -- but the fact that we're having this conversation at all is an incredible testament to the will that has driven him to such a legendary career.

Yu Darvish's improbable return to Padres rotation could be a boon in 2027

Beyond age, there's just a lot working against an improbable comeback from Darvish. His last fully healthy season came in 2022, when he covered 30 starts and nearly 200 innings. Since then, he's throwing progressively fewer innings in each subsequent campaign, culminating in his ugly 2025 stat line: 5.38 ERA, 4.82 FIP, 72 IP.

An internal brace procedure isn't quite as severe as Tommy John surgery, but at 40 years old, that's a daunting thing to come back from. He was already dealing with waning velocity and strikeout rates, which figure to be exacerbated by his injury and the further passage of time before the 2027 season rolls around.

Still, we shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth. Darvish did the organization a huge favor by agreeing to go on the restricted list this year, which freed up his $16 million salary to be used on other players in free agency and trades. He's still under contract for $30 million through 2028, so the Padres have every incentive to encourage a comeback if his retirement is delayed further.

Considering how much uncertainty surrounds the Friars' rotation after this season -- Nick Pivetta and Michael King have options, while Walker Buehler, Robbie Ray, and Casey Mize are impending free agents -- a healthy return from Darvish could be a godsend. It may not be ideal to have $35 million wrapped up in him and Joe Musgrove after their long hiatuses, but two proven veterans is better than nothing to build a foundation from.

Of course, sticking with the horse analogies, we shouldn't put our cart before them. Darvish is still a ways off from returning, if he ever does. At this point, it's just a pleasant surprise to see him actively pursuing a return to the big leagues.

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