When introduced by his new team on Thursday, Yu Darvish said he was surprised by his trade with the San Diego Padres and was excited to talk about his time with the chicks and the connections he made in Chicago.
“With what happens to the coronavirus and the money the puppies have, I didn’t think I would be traded,” Darvish said Thursday through an interpreter. “And besides, I’m a winning team and I thought we could compete.”
Darvish, however, is delighted to join a “strong” Padres team, which should compete for the National League flagship.
“I made my children watch the most important moments of the Padres line on YouTube,” said the right. “I’m a strong team and I’m very excited to see the batting practice.”
Darvish said he has performed better in the last 18 months than at any other time in his career. He finished second in the Cy Young vote last season, after going 8-3 with an ERA 2.01 and attributed the improvement to his decision to slow down and be “himself”.
“The chicks were telling me to prepare in any way I wanted to prepare,” Darvish said. “The puppies let me be myself. That helped me get back in shape.”
He was traded along with Victor Caratini, his personal receiver, to San Diego for incumbent Zach Davies and four potentials earlier this week. The move came a day after Padres bought him left-hander Blake Snell of the Tampa Bay Rays.
Darvish’s mother once told him she thought she would play for the Padres, but he said she didn’t think it would materialize after she signed a six-year, $ 126 million deal with the puppies.
However, with Chicago in cost-cutting mode, foreboding has become a reality. Darvish hopes to find the same chemistry with his teammates in San Diego as in Chicago.
“Many people [de los Cachorros] he came to me and everyone was pretty shocked and felt bad, “Darvish said.” So this reality is great. I’m excited to play for Padres. “
Darvish, 34, said he found out about the exchange on Twitter, although his representatives knew there was a possibility that it could be changed that day.
“My first year with Padres, going to spring training, I really want to be open and get to know everyone,” said Darvish, who already has a relationship with Padres general manager AJ Preller since his days with Texas. Rangers.
Darvish was asked what his exchange might mean for Japanese baseball fans living in San Diego.
“With the coronavirus and everyone a little depressed by what’s going on in the world, I just hope to generate enthusiasm and help the Japanese around me be happy,” Darvish said.