Yu Darvish's UCL Surgery: Impact on Padres' 2026 Season

Yu Darvish, the veteran right-hander for the San Diego Padres, will be sidelined for the entire 2026 season following surgery to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching elbow. The Padres announced that Darvish underwent the procedure last week and also received an internal brace during the surgery.

In a message shared on social media, Darvish expressed his commitment to rehabilitation, stating, 'I will be working hard on my rehab to be able to throw a ball comfortably again,' as reported by ESPN.

At 39 years old, Darvish's absence is a significant blow to the Padres' pitching rotation, which is already facing challenges. Last season, he struggled with injuries, posting a record of five wins and five losses, with a 5.38 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP in just 15 starts.

He missed the first three months of the season due to elbow inflammation, and his performance in the postseason was disappointing, as he allowed two runs without recording an out in Game 3 of the wild-card series against the Chicago Cubs.

Darvish's tenure with the Padres has included three seasons of a six-year, $108 million contract that he signed in February 2023, and he was initially acquired by the team before the 2021 season. The report indicates that Darvish previously underwent Tommy John surgery in March 2015 and returned to Major League Baseball by May 2016.

His injury adds to the uncertainty in a Padres rotation that has seen some changes, with Dylan Cease now a free agent and Michael King also becoming a free agent after declining his option for 2026. Currently, the remaining starters for San Diego include Nick Pivetta, Randy Vasquez, and Joe Musgrove, who is also recovering from Tommy John surgery.

Additionally, the Padres made a recent acquisition of JP Sears in a trade that brought in relief pitcher Mason Miller, who has a history as a starter. Darvish's absence will be felt deeply, as the Padres look to build on their fourth playoff appearance in six seasons, although they were unable to advance further in the postseason.

Meanwhile, Darvish has personal commitments to focus on, including supporting his oldest son, Shoei, who is set to play baseball at UC San Diego after completing high school next year.