Darvish returns with aims to boost the rotation
SAN DIEGO — Fifty minutes before first pitch Wednesday night, Yu Darvish emerged from the Padres dugout to begin his pregame throwing routine. The stadium wasn’t yet a quarter full, but it didn’t matter. “Yuuuuuuuuuu” echoed throughout Petco Park.
At long last, Darvish made his Padres return against the Tigers. It didn’t go how he or the club might’ve hoped. Darvish lasted only 2 2/3 innings and allowed three runs on four hits. But having Yu Darvish on the mound at all served as something of a victory in its own right.
There was a time when the Padres weren’t certain it would happen this season. Darvish landed on the injured list in late May, then was placed on the restricted list in early July while he tended to a private family matter.
Throughout his time away from the team, the Padres refused to speculate on a potential return for their veteran right-hander. They only offered love for Darvish and said little else.
