San Diego Padres pitcher Yu Darvish may retiring and giving the team significant financial assistance in doing so.
A report from Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune on Saturday said that Darvish has decided to retire with three years left on his contract. Darvish’s agent, Joel Wolfe, disputed that, saying that no decision has been made yet and that the situation is “complicated.”
From Yu Darvish’s agent, Joel Wolfe, on a report that he has informed the Padres he will retire:
— Alden González (@Alden_Gonzalez) January 24, 2026
“Yu has not made a final decision yet. This is a complicated matter we are still working through.”
The Padres still owe Darvish $43 million. Acee noted in his report that Darvish would likely give up the vast majority of that money and allow the Padres to keep it.
Darvish, 39, was limited to just 15 starts last season with a 5.38 ERA. He has been dealing with lingering elbow injuries, and underwent surgery in October that would have cost him the entire 2026 season.
If Darvish does walk away, he can do so knowing he will go down as one of the most accomplished Japanese players of all time. He posted a 3.65 career ERA over 13 seasons and finished as runner-up in Cy Young voting twice. The five-time All-Star pitched in the postseason for four different teams and appeared in the World Series with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2017.
The Padres would not have had Darvish at all in 2026. If he retires, they could theoretically use his salary to bolster the current roster, though that may be easier said than done at this stage of the offseason.
