The Padres announced that right-hander Yu Darvish has been reinstated from the restricted list and will join the club tonight, though he has been returned to the 15-day injured list. Infielder Matthew Batten was designated for assignment to open a 40-man roster spot for him.
Darvish, 38, began his season strong. He made 11 starts through the end of May, allowing 3.20 earned runs per nine innings, but his campaign has been on pause since then. He landed on the 15-day injured list June 1, retroactive to May 31, due to a left groin strain. He was supposed to return on June 25 but then was sidelined by some inflammation in his throwing elbow.
On July 6, he was transferred to the restricted list due to an undisclosed family matter, with no details about that situation having been made public. Last week, it was reported that Darvish set up a live BP session at a high school, trying to keep himself somewhat ready even while he was away from the club and perhaps demonstrating that he had put his injuries behind him. Whatever the family situation was, it now seems it has been resolved enough for the veteran to turn his attentions back to baseball.
However, he may not immediately join the big league club, as he is still on the injured list. After so much down time, he will likely need some kind of rehab assignment to build back up. Still, the fact that he is back from the restricted list at least provides some clarity and some expectations to a situation that was previously difficult to predict.
The Padres just optioned struggling knuckleballer Matt Waldron, leaving them with a rotation consisting of Joe Musgrove, Dylan Cease, Michael King and Martín Pérez. Whenever Darvish is in game shape, he will jump back into that mix. Until then, the club may need to call upon Randy Vásquez or Jhony Brito to cover Waldron’s spot, or perhaps deploy a bullpen game or two.
Batten, 29, was added to the club’s roster in June of 2022. He has largely been on optional assignment in the two-plus years since then, having appeared in 59 big league games with 164 plate appearances. He has hit .239/.337/.345 in those for a wRC+ of 96. His minor league work has actually been worse, as he has hit .242/.333/.372 at Triple-A El Paso since the start of 2023. In the context of the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League, that translates to a wRC+ of 75.
He is in his final option year and will be out of options by next season. With the trade deadline having passed, the Friars will have to place him on waivers in the coming days. Despite the lack of offense, some club may be attracted to his other attributes. He has racked up double-digit steal totals in each minor league season since 2021 and has played every position on the diamond except catcher, including some mop-up duty on the mound. He has less than a year of service time and therefore could potentially be retained for six seasons beyond this one.
el rey
Woooohoooooo
Longtimecoming
Woo hoo indeed! Yu woo hoo!
Fever Pitch Guy
El & Long – Agreed, WooHoo!
An authentic example of when to use “reinstated”!! Yaaayyy!!
Brew’88
Tatis, Darvish and Musgrove, wooooo
Beatles reunion next
Longtimecoming
Brew, they might be a little more difficult! I think George and John are on the permanently restricted list.
Yet, technology is amazing and they could put out a new album tomorrow!
Brew’88
AI LT, AI. Let’s bring back Tony Gwynn while we’re at it
Longtimecoming
I just realized that Yu might pitch Monday. We have tix for the game in St Louis!
Brew’88
That’s really cool LT. Hope that win that one for you.
I’ll be sure not to attend tonight’s game in order to break the two-game losing streak. I went to last night’s game, and so far on the season my record (for home games I’ve attended) is 12-22. &*(&(@(*@!! Let’s face it, I’m bad luck. Maybe I shouldn’t attend any more games this year in order to ensure they make the playoffs.
Longtimecoming
Go enjoy the game! Fan superstition can be fun but I don’t believe any of it.
Gwynning
I doubt he throws Monday LTC, sorry bud. He just threw a 27 pitch bullpen sesh and everything seems great, but I think he won’t be back in the rotation until Sept. I hope I’m wrong, and with Darvish, Yu never know! Go Pads
ck99
The Dodgers haven’t done well in the 2nd round the last two years, despite having a bye in the first round. So, I hope the Padres meet the Dodgers in the 2nd round.
csspackler
What happened the last time?
Gwynning
The dragon was slayed, for those whom had forgotten.
tarlow00
And the Dodgers have proven that they can humiliate themselves just fine, given a full season of work.
Zombie Bukowski
Ya because the Dodgers have faired so well in playoffs
/s
Ryan W
Mickey is a fitting name.
3-1 vs dodgers in the playoffs, in case you forgot.
el rey
Much needed.
SteveFinleyEnthusiast
Glad to have him back. Wishing him and his family nothing but the best.
Simm
Beyond great news for the padres. Coming off the news that tatis has been cleared for all baseball activities and will be back soon.
Gwynning
“C’mon, we’re getting the boys back together!”
LFGSD
Acoss1331
Full throttle for the Friars to the playoffs!
Joe says...
Providing the Yankees don’t make it, I hope SD takes it all the way and King is the WS MVP.
Gwynning
Thanks Joe! No reason we can’t meet… we do still owe you for ’98!
Cheers bub
User 401527550
I had game 5 World Series tickets. I am still disappointed about not going to a World Series game.
Gwynning
Me too Mets! Had Game 5 tickets at Qualcomm 🙁
YankeesBleacherCreature
@Gwynning You guys can have a game this time at 3-0. Manfred would want that.
Brew’88
Thanks Joe, a 98 reunion would be fun
SteveFinleyEnthusiast
Blasphemy.
We all know the MVP would be Kyle Higashioka, the home run stroka, in honor of Yankees/Padres legend Jim Leyritz!
Gwynning
All in favor of renaming the Western Metal Supply Building into “The Higgy Bank” please raise your nachos and say aye-yai-yai-yai!
Travis’ Wood
Makes more sense why Waldron was sent down, clearly they knew Yu was coming back today
csspackler
Yeah, probably.
ck99
And Waldron was really struggling despite pitching well in the middle of the season.
Brew’88
Waldron also expressed to Dennis Lin that his delivery level had dropped due to a balky feeling in his elbow. He’s accrued more innings this year than any prior year and is going to need some rest before returning to form.
Old York
Can’t wait to see the Padres in the World Series this year.
Blackpink in the area
I think they got a good chance. A couple years from now they are gonna be in trouble but if they can win a championship by then it will all be worth it.
Informed Sportsball Discussion
@Blackpink The way Preller drafts, I think they will be able to reload quickly. Arraez, King and Cease are free agents after ’25. But Darvish, Musgrove, Cronenworth, Machado, Tatis, Bogaerts, and Merrill are all going to be around for the next 3-10 years.
The attrition factor on the older guys in that bunch is a concern. But with so many pieces in play for so long, a lot of things would have to go wrong to start a rebuild. Preller is not always going to have the luck he did this year with the likes of Profar and Merrill, but that’s going to be the plan: supplement the core with draftees and free agents. We’ll see how sustainable it is.
Blackpink in the area
Long term the Padres have problems. But it doesn’t matter if that’s the price you pay to finally win a championship so be it. It’s clearly a 2 year window this year and next. After that unless payroll goes sky high it’s not sustainable. But if that’s what it takes for a team that has never been a legit WS contender to be one for a period of time that’s totally worth it.
Informed Sportsball Discussion
I think they draft well enough that they don’t. But we’ll see. I hope I am right, because those are a lot of high priced contracts with a lot of years left to be trying to execute a tear down and rebuild.
ck99
They’ve traded away most of the high prospects they drafted. You see many of them at the All Star game wearing other uniforms.
Brew’88
The most interesting thing facet of Preller is that you can’t really predict where the team will be in 2-4 years, it’s never linear/static, it’s ever evolving and the unexpected should be expected.
Brew’88
thing facet…
Longtimecoming
Remember in April all of Towinagain’s negativity about how Preller just wasn’t signing any FAs to fill holes?
Brew’88
Towinagain is so joyful now
Gwynning
I haven’t had to talk him off any cliffs since, idk… April? Kept telling him to be patient! Lol
Informed Sportsball Discussion
@ck99 And they just keep drafting more.
Say what anyone will about Preller’s trades and signings. His drafts consistently deliver the goods.
Informed Sportsball Discussion
@Brew88
This is true.
Prelle tore down from 15-18. I just don’t think with the core in place they have now that they will feel the need to tear down again. But it is ultimately up to the players’ performance how that will go.
Zombie Bukowski
Nah. The core of Manny, Xander, Tatis, Jackson Merril (ROY), and if they resign Arraez and Profar is easily Top 10 if not Top 5.
Sprinkle in an all world catcher (Salas) and an absolute stud in DeVries, the Pads are loaded.
If I were a Duds fan I’d we worried. This is the 1st year in quite some time the window doesn’t appear as open as it has been.
Simm
We know he has been throwing to live hitters while he was gone. I wonder how long it will be before we see him on the mound for the padres.
I suppose if he has done enough work we could see him Monday. They basically let Musgrove come back and ramp up in the majors. Perhaps we see that with Darvish as well.
lesterdnightfly
Why is MLB.com stating in Transactions:
“San Diego Padres 08/23/24 San Diego Padres placed RHP Yu Darvish on the 15-day injured list. Left groin strain.” ???
marcfrombrooklyn
Intern copied old transaction and forgot to change the text or save the change before publishing it?
PadsFan84
Technically he was reinstated and placed back on the 15 day IL
Simm
He was in the 15 day IL before going on the restricted list. So they removed the restriction and now he is back on the IL. Not that he needs to be but they will leave him there until he pitches in a game for the padres.
Ignorant Son-of-a-b
I know actually reading the article is lame and only for suckers.
Simm
To be fair the first post of this had almost no info. They update these threads several minutes after people have posted. So maybe you should know that before saying something like this.
Do better.
Ignorant Son-of-a-b
Sorry guys I forgot about that. I’ve only been an active member here for four years so I should know these things.
Gwynning
Some things never change, just like Mariner World Series appearances! J/k Iggy, but better luck next year? Are you guys toast here in ’24??
Ignorant Son-of-a-b
Crazier things have happened Gwynny! Still rocking my Mariners jersey today. Had a completely atypical come from behind win tonight, could spark something! Keep sending positive vibes until the playoff odds hit 1% or below lol.
Brew88
odds for WC not great Ignorant, but not out of the question for division. Just play patsy for that September Padres series (like you did for the Dodgers) then win the rest of your games, ok?
lesterdnightfly
It wasn’t addressed when I posted that question.
Reading asinine comments is what’s lame, Mr. Ignorant.
Longtimecoming
Lester – well, what do you expect from a guy name “ignorant”?
sad tormented neglected mariners fan
These padres now got a playoff rotation
Having yu, cease, Java Joe, king, Waldron, and other arms on top of the bullpen will be huge
I think their playoff run is gonna be determined by Fernando, darvish, and musgroves performance, if they are all good than they have a shot at the WS
PadsFan84
Waldron is in AAA. Martin Perez is in the rotation.
sad tormented neglected mariners fan
He’s going to be back sooner rather than later when he gets rested up
Simm
I don’t think he will be back anytime soon unless Perez struggles.
VegasSDfan
Finally! Here we go
Longtimecoming
Mickey you finally got my mute button. I’ve been giving you rope and now I’m giving you the button.
10centBeerNight
Great to hear. Wishing his family the best
Informed Sportsball Discussion
What did Bauer ever do to deserve being associated with this comment?
JSC Cubbs
While your comment is.. not good. Let me point out that the act of having fathered a child with another woman would be a family matter. So you are “buying it”
whosehighpitch
He was not activated off the restricted list. Proper use of reinstate
Simm
Then how are you able to read his messages
Erick Dimaggio
Finally some good news. Last 2 nights have been a rough watch I gotta say lol
3 finger split
You are an idiot..Darvish was in Japan because his brother has been dealing with cancer and you don’t know the first thing about him or the Padres.
Every time you open your mouth it’s gotta be so you can change feet.
You remind me of the south end of a north bound mule
straightuphonestguy
Now watch me YUUUUUUUUU
Brew’88
Yu wants a ring
straightuphonestguy
I don’t think so. Yu’s initial IL placement was on June 4th and he went on the restricted list July 6th. The Padres should be able to activate him anytime off the 15-day IL.
Gwynning
No, he can come off at any point. He has “served” his 15 days of IL time.
whosehighpitch
The Padres wholesale buy in bulk sale is coming real fast. They are gonna have to eat some contracts and set the organization back more than a few years. If they do not win the Workd Series this year it’s gonna be a blast to watch this team get blown up. They’ll be trading guys for dry erase markers.
Gwynning
Lmao
bambat
Same thing people say every year – Padres set back by all that spending, by trading their farm, etc.
2019 – Machado, Hosmer, Myers are paid $500M – padres are broke!
2020 – Padres trade their farm at the deadline for Nola, Clevenger!
2021 – they traded their farm for Snell, Musgrove, Darvish!
2021 – signed Tatis – they are broke!
2022 – they traded their farm for Soto, Bell, Hader, Drury!
2023 – they signed Bogaerts, Wacha, Lugo, extended Machado, Cronenworth – they are broke!
2024 – they traded their farm for Cease, Arraez, Adam, Scott!
6 years and people keep saying they set their franchise back every year and they have blow it all up. I think it’s clear that Preller will find a way to rebuild the system quickly and move money around if needed.
whosehighpitch
Ok then why is Soto a Yankee now. The sale is coming
Gwynning
When Preller knew he couldn’t extend Soto, he went and traded for numerous much-needed arms. He flipped the top prospect in that for Cease, and still reset the CBT even after trading for Arraez. If you think a firesale is coming, then I suggest you’re going to be the only one surprised when it doesn’t, whosehighpitch.
Brew’88
Soto’s a Yankee now and the Padres are far better with all the younger controllable talent they picked up in return. Go figure.
Simm
The Soto trade is what allowed the padres to acquire the talent they did this year. We don’t miss Soto at all and I’m saying that knowing he has been great.
Pads Fans
After Seidler offered the largest non-deferred contract in MLB history and Soto turned it down, Preller traded him to the Yankees and got King and eventually Cease out of it. 2 of the top 15 starters in the game today.
Preller got Arraez and SAVED money on the deal.
Eric Kutsenda said that the Padres would continue Seidler’s legacy and that they have the revenue to exceed the CBT in 2025. This season they wanted to dip under the CBT just like most teams do after 2 or 3 seasons of exceeding it. That includes big revenue teams like the Dodgers and Yankees.
Trying to figure out who the account whosehighpitch really is. Its got to be a troll we are already familiar with that had their account banned and came back with this one.
JoeBrady
They have money, but they will need a fair amount of replacements after 2025.
Brew’88
Before the Soto trade they were entering this season with just 2 SPs (both injured). So the roster rebuilding can happen quickly as we’ve seen. In 2026 we only know their rotation will be Musgrove and 4 others we can even imagine at this point….maybe Kash Mayfield or Boston Bateman enter the scene or are traded for vets.
JackStrawb
Inventing stupid people to ‘prove’ your point is an exercise for, well…
whosehighpitch
Florida Marlins not Miami 3.0. World Series fire sale. Another World Series fire sale. Even if the padres when or lose it’s coming. Manny Machado Red Sox. Fernando the best player ever but suspensions and injury holds me back Astro or Ranger. Cronenworth will be a Ray again.
SteveFinleyEnthusiast
What about Arraez, Cease, King, Musgrove, Suarez, and Merrill while you’re on this high-level thought exercise?
YankeesBleacherCreature
From his Jazz Chisolm post comment yesterday to the ones here, the man needs a hug.
SteveFinleyEnthusiast
Oh yeah, that was a weird one!
mrpadre19
Yu know it!
LFGSD619
Samuel/Filihok/Cbeisbol is that you?
Pads Fans
Darvish is back tonight. Probably goes 3, maybe 4 innings. 45-60 pitches?