Yu Darvish is hanging up his cleats \u2014 or is he?<\/p>\n
The Japanese right-hander reportedly told the Padres that he was retiring after 13 big league seasons, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune<\/a>.<\/p>\n The news came as a bit of shock, considering that he would be leaving the game with three years and $43 million left on the six-year, $108 million extension he signed with San Diego in 2023.<\/p>\n The Union-Tribune\u2019s report was quickly refuted by Darvish\u2019s agent, Joel Wolfe, who told MLB.com\u2019s Mark Feinsand<\/a> that his client\u2019s days in the majors might not actually be over.\u00a0<\/p>\n Yu Darvish of the San Diego Padres pitches during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox September 30, 2022 at Petco Park in San Diego, California. Getty Images<\/p>\n \u201cYu has not made a final decision yet,\u201d Wolfe said, per Feinsand. \u201cThis is a complicated matter we are still working through.\u201d<\/p>\n Not long after, Darvish shot down the retirement talk himself, taking to X to set his story straight<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cYou may have seen an article, and although I am leaning towards voiding the contract, there\u2019s still a lot that has to be talked over with the Padres so the finer details are yet to be decided,\u201d he wrote. \u201cAlso I will not be announcing my retirement yet. <\/p>\n \u201cRight 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\u2019t do that, I will announce my retirement.\u201d<\/p>\n Darvish appeared to tell the Union-Tribune that he was OK with walking away from the $43 million he\u2019s still owed by the Padres.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cAs far as leaving lots of money,\u201d Darvish said, according to the outlet, \u201cI look at it as that was never mine to begin with, especially considering the money I haven\u2019t physically earned yet.\u201d<\/p>\n Yu Darvish of the San Diego Padres returns to the dugout during Game Three of the National League Wild Card Series between the San Diego Padres and the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on Thursday, October 2, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. MLB Photos via Getty Images<\/p>\n In December, Darvish appeared uncertain if he would pitch again in the majors.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not necessarily thinking about really pitching, as I go through this rehab process right now,\u201d Darvish said, per MLB.com<\/a>. \u201cI don\u2019t have that in my mind. I\u2019m 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\u2019ll just leave it there for now.\u201d<\/p>\n