MLB Free Agency: Where does Yu Darvish end up?
In less than three weeks, pitchers and catchers will report to Spring Training, but one big time free agent pitcher has yet to sign. That looks likey to change as Yu Darvish could choose to sign with a team soon.
This offseason the free agent market hasn’t played out too well. With many teams not in contention for the 2018 season and others waiting for the highly-anticipated 2018 MLB free agency class, a lot of big-name free agents remain unsigned. One of those free agents is star pitcher Yu Darvish.
Darvish, who has pitched with both the Texas Rangers and Los Angeles Dodgers, has five years of MLB experience under his belt. At 31 years old, Darvish looks to play a vital role for whichever team he ends up with.
According to MLB Network reporter Jon Morosi, it looks like we’ll find out which team Darvish signs with sometime this week.
Source: Yu Darvish is increasingly likely to sign with an @MLB team this week. #Twins are among the teams with whom he is engaged in ongoing discussions. @MLBNetwork
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) January 24, 2018
Morosi also notes in his tweet that the Minnesota Twins are one of the teams that continues to talk with Darvish. However, four or five different teams remain in on the Darvish sweepstakes.
The hard-throwing right-hander owns a career 56-42 regular season record with a 3.42 ERA, 3.30 FIP, 1.179 WHIP and 1,021 strikeouts in his five seasons. Darvish has also made four All-Star teams in his career.
The dwindling market could result in Darvish ending up with a smaller contract than initially expected. He also cost himself some money with his World Series performance in 2017.
In two World Series games, Darvish pitched just a combined 3.1 innings while giving up eight earned runs for an ERA of 21.60. He also managed to not record one strikeout during those two games. It seemed the Houston Astros picked up on Darvish tipping his pitches.
Nevertheless, Darvish remains one of the best starting pitchers on the market. Here’s a look at some teams that he could sign with in MLB free agency.
Yu Darvish destination number one: Minnesota Twins
As mentioned in the first slide, Jon Morosi tweeted out that the Minnesota Twins are one of the teams that have had ongoing talks with Yu Darvish. The starter could boost a young Minnesota team that surprised a lot of people in 2017.
The recent news that the Twins are in on Darvish comes at no surprise. Back in November, Twins’ chief baseball officer Derek Falvey said during an interview with Christopher Russo that the team could be in on any big name free agents this offseason, especially when it came to starting pitching.
Heading into 2018 with eyes on competing, the Twins’ rotation could use a bit of help. The current five starter rotation contains Ervin Santana, Jose Berrios, Kyle Gibson, Adalberto Mejia and Phil Hughes.
Santana is coming off back-to-back outstanding seasons with the Twins. However, his 4.46 FIP last season could lead to some regression in 2018. Berrios proved in 2017, that he’s one of the top up and coming pitchers in today’s game.
Outside of the Twins’ top-two starters, Gibson, Mejia, and Hughes are all shaky starters and could cause Minnesota some problems in 2018. Adding Yu Darvish to the mix would give Minnesota the ace it needs.
Despite finishing with the worst record in 2016, the Twins played tough and found themselves in the second Wild Card spot last season. The team has addressed the bullpen so far this offseason. Through free agency, the Twins signed Fernando Rodney, Addison Reed, and Zach Duke.
If the Twins can sign Darvish, that’ll help them on their quest for another playoff spot in 2018 and maybe even give them a shot at the AL Central.
Yu Darvish destination number two: Chicago Cubs
The 2016 World Series champions are another team that that could end up signing Darvish. After finishing 2017 by losing to Yu Darvish and the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS, the Cubs look to make it back to the Fall Classic.
According to Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune, the Cubs remain in talks with the starter. He also mentioned in the article that Cubs’ President of Baseball Operations Theo Epstein addressed the need to add another starter to the rotation.
After the 2017 season, the Cubs lost starter Jake Arrieta to free agency after he declined his qualifying offer. Arrieta, like Darvish, remains unsigned at this point in the offseason. However, it doesn’t look like the Cubs plan to bring Arrieta back to the club in 2018.
Earlier in the offseason, Chicago signed former Colorado Rockies’ starter Tyler Chatwood to a three-year, $38 million deal. With the addition of Chatwood, the Cubs’ rotation also includes Jon Lester, Kyle Hendricks, Jose Quintana and Eddie Butler.
Even without adding another starter, the Cubs possess one of the better starting staffs in the NL. But with Epstein wanting to add another starter and the Cubs wanting to get back to the World Series, Darvish could be a pivotal piece to add to this team.
The Cubs also added veteran catcher Chris Gimenez, which could play a factor for Darvish. As David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune writes, Gimenez and Darvish played together with the Rangers and Gimenez factored in a lot of big moments for the pitcher.
If Cubs can manage to reel in Darvish, they become even more likely to make it to the World Series this coming season.
Yu Darvish destination number three: Milwaukee Brewers
After a 2017 season that saw the Milwaukee Brewers just barely miss a playoff game, the team seems to be all over the radar on top free agents and also in trade talks too. With that said, the Brewers are in on Yu Darvish.
On Jan. 22, Yahoo! Japan reported that the Brewers offered a deal to Darvish. However, no other parts of the agreement are apparent. The Athletic reporter Ken Rosenthal did confirm that the Brewers did offer the starter a deal.
Along with the slow free agent market, the Brewers have yet to make any significant moves this offseason. Could Darvish finally be the guy the Brewers add to make them better?
Missing the playoffs by one game in 2017, the Brewers need to bolster their rotation to help them gain some more traction in 2018. As their current rotation stands, Chase Anderson is the ace of the staff. Along with Anderson, the rotation also consists of Zach Davies, Jhoulys Chacin, Bent Suter and Yovani Gallardo. They also have Jimmy Nelson, who is recovering from shoulder surgery in September.
The Brewers need a pitcher like Darvish to make their rotation that much better. Right now, the Brewers aren’t looking any better on paper than they did last year. And they did overachieve the previous season too. If they don’t improve their rotation, they could take a step back in 2018.
Yu Darvish destination number four: Los Angeles Dodgers
In 2017, the Los Angeles Dodgers came within one win of winning their first World Series since 1988. But a rough Game 7 in Los Angeles saw the Houston Astros take home the championship. Darvish played a prominent role in the Dodgers’ loss with his poor pitching performance. Even with that, Darvish could re-sign with the Dodgers.
The Dodgers acquired Yu Darvish at the 2017 trade deadline. They gave up a good haul to get him. The Rangers got top prospect Willie Calhoun and two other prospects A.J. Alexy and Brendon Davis. And although Darvish pitched well for the Dodgers up until the World Series, he still let them down at the most crucial.
With that said, the Dodgers still seem interested in bringing the starter back. Back in December, Dodgers’ GM Farhan Zaidi said that they still were talking with Darvish, per Dodgers beat reporter for MLB.com Ken Gurnick.
Zaidi said the club still is having active dialogue with Darvish, a free agent.
— Ken Gurnick (@kengurnick) December 12, 2017
The Dodgers still carry one of the best teams in baseball. And adding Darvish would only make them better. Although they don’t necessarily need him to compete, he could only help them.
With a starting rotation containing Clayton Kershaw, Rich Hill, Alex Wood, Kenta Maeda and Hyun-Jin Ryu, Darvish could break-up that heavy left-handed rotation.
With the way Darvish finished his season with the Dodgers, the right-hander more than likely wants to prove that he can be better in a big moment situation. If the Dodgers and Darvish can work out a deal, they might have some unfinished business to take care of in 2018.
Yu Darvish destination number four: Texas Rangers
When Darvish came over from Japan, he signed with the Texas Rangers and spent his first four and a half seasons in Arlington. As mentioned in the previous slide, the Rangers traded away Yu Darvish to the Los Angeles Dodgers at the trade deadline last season. However, Darvish could end up signing with the Rangers again this offseason.
According to MLB.com reporter T.R. Sullivan, Rangers’ GM Jon Daniels doesn’t expect the team to spend big money on a free agent this offseason. Although, Daniels also isn’t ruling anything out just yet.
More from Call to the Pen
- Philadelphia Phillies, ready for a stretch run, bomb St. Louis Cardinals
- Philadelphia Phillies: The 4 players on the franchise’s Mount Rushmore
- Boston Red Sox fans should be upset over Mookie Betts’ comment
- Analyzing the Boston Red Sox trade for Dave Henderson and Spike Owen
- 2023 MLB postseason likely to have a strange look without Yankees, Red Sox, Cardinals
By the way the MLB free agency market has gone this season, who’s to say that the Rangers can’t sign Darvish for a cheaper price. If Darvish can’t get the money he wants, perhaps he signs at a more affordable price with a team that he knows well.
The Rangers could certainly use Darvish too. In 2017, the Rangers finished fourth in the AL West with a record of 78-84. However, the team’s offense doesn’t have them far off from contending for the Wild Card in 2018.
The starting rotation does need some work. With Cole Hamels as the current ace and Martin Perez behind him, the Rangers own a decent one-two punch. But their other three starters, which they have acquired this offseason, are all average pitchers at best. Doug Fister, Matt Moore, and Mike Minor are the Rangers backend of the rotation.
The Rangers’ rotation becomes a lot better if they can re-add Darvish into the mix. If they do want to compete in 2018, adding a talented starter is a must.
Next: Josh Harrison Trade Destinations
With how motionless the free agent market has played out this season, baseball fans can finally find joy in discovering where one of the top free agents may sign this week.