The Padres have inked ace Yu Darvish to a six-year extension. Here’s a look at the career of Darvish and how this affect the Padres rotation.
The Padres signed Yu Darvish to a six-year extension worth $106 million. This brings his AAV to $18 million.
Darvish, a player signed out of Japan in 2012, has had a memorable career so far, with a 3.50 ERA, 1788 strikeouts, and a 1.125 WHIP in 1488 innings pitched.
He is a player we have seen age like fine wine, becoming better as he rises in age. In 2022 Darvish had a 3.10 ERA, 197 strikeouts, and a .950 WHIP in 194.2 innings pitched.
The Padres have skipped a potential bidding war in 2023 as Darvish would have hit the market after this season.
A six-year deal is a large commitment to a player who is now going into his age 36 seasons. With the extension starting this season, it will run until he is 42 years old.
With his new AAV at $18 million, the contract puts him at 24th in the league for highest paid pitchers per year.
Darvish was recently ranked as the 95th best player in MLB by the league, just ahead of teammate Joe Musgrove.
Padres Starting Rotation
This extension means that the Padres have two major arms in their rotation locked long-term term. Joe Musgrove signed until 2027 on a contract that has an AAV of $20 million and Darvish until 2028 under his new contract.
After the 2023 season, Blake Snell will become a free agent. In an open market, it is unclear how much he will make.
Nick Martinez’s ability to be in San Diego long-term is put to the test with opt-out options in 2024 and 2025.
Lastly is Seth Lugo, who signed a two-year deal this offseason with an opt-out in 2024. Lugo’s ability as a starter is still something that needs to be proven.
The Padres have almost no guarantees for their three, four, and five pitchers within the next few years.
The extension of Yu Darvish gives the Padres familiarity with the top spots of their starting rotation for years to come.
