ARLINGTON, Texas — It’s the Cubs’ final probability to land a big-name free agent for this season.
That’s what Yu Darvish means to the staff on this “year of reckoning” as he takes the mound for the primary time in a fresh-start season, dealing with the Rangers on Saturday evening at Globe Life Park.
It’s virtually unimaginable to overstate that context for the massive right-hander and this staff.
“He’s an impact guy, and he wasn’t there for us last year,” staff president Theo Epstein stated earlier than spring coaching even started. “I’m looking forward to him having a second crack at this.”
Darvish pitching towards the Mariners this spring. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
When Darvish signed a six-year, $126 million deal 14 months in the past and adopted it with the worst season of his profession, it not solely was robust on him but in addition paralyzed the Cubs’ entrance workplace financially in its efforts to enhance the roster.
He underperformed for six weeks, then was out with accidents the remainder of the 12 months, compelling the Cubs to commerce for Cole Hamels in July. And with Darvish’s 2019 projections something however sure — to not point out the $38 million whiff the Cubs took on Tyler Chatwood — it left them little selection however to train Hamels’ $20 million contract choice for 2019.
Even that transfer required buying and selling Drew Smyly to the Rangers in a $7 million wage dump.
And identical to that, the Cubs’ already tight payroll finances was all however tapped out.
But Darvish has regarded like a brand new man this spring, laughing with teammates, smiling at strangers, strolling with swagger and actually speaking a unique language.
He’s additionally throwing 97 mph, commanding a devastating slider and saying he seems like he has the very best stuff of his profession going into the season — with a blister on the finish of camp apparently totally healed.
“I’ve always known he’s had absolutely amazing stuff,” stated Hamels, a teammate of Darvish since their two years along with the Rangers. “And to be able to feel that he’s comfortable and confident, I know it’s going to show this season. I think that’s what everybody’s waiting for. I think that’s what he’s ready to show people.”
Darvish admitted this spring that “definitely I was feeling the pressure” to carry out after signing the massive contract. And he stated he realized “a lot of things” from the expertise of his forgettable 2018 season.
“I’d worry about the future,” he stated. “I’d be scared for the future. [Now] I’m living like ‘now.’ So that makes me more confident, and more happy.”
In truth, he stated, “I’m smiling more than I have in the last seven years.”
He’s additionally dropping one-liners in informal interviews with beat writers, in English, after utilizing an interpreter all through final 12 months.
For six weeks of spring coaching, the transformation has been gorgeous, each bodily and, it appeared, mentally.
By the time he talked to reporters briefly earlier than the season opener Thursday, he stated he’s wholesome, assured and prepared for 100 or extra pitches Saturday in a ballpark that was his dwelling for his 4 All-Star seasons.
“The real work begins now,” Epstein stated. “Spring training is spring training, and we all together now start the work of competing day in and day out for the next seven months. It’ll be nice to see how he responds.”
It is likely to be as decisive as something a participant does for the Cubs this 12 months.
“I know what he’s going to bring as long as he stays well,” supervisor Joe Maddon stated. “The huge factor is to be wholesome. Yes, the command of his stuff actually issues additionally. But he’s such a robust man. I simply may envision him going six, seven innings when he’s on roll.
“Health, strike-throwing, decrease pitch counts, going deeper into the video games — we get that out of him . . . that could possibly be an enormous difference-maker in comparison with final 12 months.”