Career Timeline of Yu Darvish: Major Achievements and Milestones

How Yu Darvish built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.

Yu Darvish is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher currently playing for the San Diego Padres in MLB. He previously played for the Texas Rangers, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Chicago Cubs in MLB, and the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters in Nippon Professional Baseball. A decorated international player, Darvish has represented Japan in the Olympics and the World Baseball Classic, demonstrating his talent on a global stage.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

1961: Fighters' Championship

In 2006, Yu Darvish contributed to the Fighters' first championship since 1961 in the Japan Series.

1981: Fighters' Pacific League Title

In 2006, Yu Darvish helped the Fighters win their first Pacific League title since 1981.

1987: Youngest Pitcher to Start a Japan Series Game

In 2006, Yu Darvish became the first pitcher to start a Japan Series game since 1987 while under the age of 21.

2003: National High School Baseball Championship Finals

In the summer of 2003, Yu Darvish led his team to the finals of the 85th National High School Baseball Championship but lost to Joso Gakuin High School, giving up four runs in a complete game.

March 26, 2004: No-Hitter in National High School Baseball Invitational Tournament

On March 26, 2004, Yu Darvish pitched a no-hitter against Kumamoto Technical High School in the first round of the 76th National High School Baseball Invitational Tournament.

2004: NPB Amateur Draft and Signing

In 2004, Yu Darvish was considered one of the best high school pitchers in the NPB amateur draft. He was selected by the Fighters and signed in December.

February 2006: Shoulder Injury and Change in Pitch Repertoire

In February 2006, Darvish injured his shoulder in an exhibition game against the World Baseball Classic Japanese national team. Due to the strain from his screwball, he removed it from his repertoire and developed his splitter as a replacement.

2006: Breakout Year and Japan Series Championship

In 2006, Yu Darvish had a breakout year, leading the Fighters to their first Pacific League title since 1981 and contributing to their first championship since 1961 in the Japan Series. He was also named Asia Series Most Valuable Player.

2006: Re-signed with Nippon-Ham Fighters

On December 22, Yu Darvish re-signed with the Nippon-Ham Fighters for ¥200,000,000 plus payment at piece rates, up ¥128,000,000 from 2006.

February 2007: Establishment of Yu Darvish Water Fund

In February 2007, Darvish established the "Yu Darvish Water Fund" to support water-related projects in developing countries, managed by the Japan Water Forum, with plans to donate ¥100,000 per regular season win.

December 3, 2007: National Team Debut in Asian Baseball Championship

On December 3, 2007, Yu Darvish made his national team debut in the Asian Baseball Championship against Chinese Taipei.

2007: Fighters' Season Opener Starter

In 2007, Yu Darvish was named the Fighters' starter for their season opener. He struck out 14 in his second start and 14 again in his next start, becoming the second pitcher in Japanese professional baseball history to strike out 14 or more batters in two consecutive starts.

2007: Re-signed with Nippon Ham Fighters

On December 1, Yu Darvish re-signed with the Nippon Ham Fighters for ¥270,000,000 plus payment at piece rates, up ¥70,000,000 from 2007.

2008: Decision to retain Japanese Citizenship

In 2007, Yu Darvish had chosen to retain his Japanese citizenship so that he could play for the national team in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

2008: 2008 Olympics

In 2008, Yu Darvish represented Japan in the Olympics.

2008: Season Opener Starter and Pitcher's Duel

In 2008, Yu Darvish was named the Fighters' starter in the season opener for the second consecutive year, pitching a complete game shutout. On April 10, he had a memorable pitcher's duel with Hisashi Iwakuma.

2009: World Baseball Classic

In 2009, Darvish participated in the World Baseball Classic as the de facto ace of the Japanese national team. On March 5, 2009, he started the opening game against China, pitching four innings and allowing no hits in a 4-0 victory for Japan. He struggled in his second outing against South Korea on March 17, 2009, being charged with the loss. Six days later, he earned his first career save, pitching the final inning of the semifinals against the United States.

2009: Third Straight Season Opener Start

In 2009, Yu Darvish started the Fighters' season opener for the third straight year. He faced Hisashi Iwakuma and pitched a complete-game loss. On April 24, he pitched a four-hit, complete-game shutout over the Buffaloes.

2009: Exposure to International Play

In 2010, Yu Darvish considered leaving Japan due to his exposure to international play during the 2009 World Baseball Classic.

2009: Re-signed with Nippon-Ham Fighters for ¥330,000,000

On December 9, Yu Darvish re-signed with the Nippon-Ham Fighters for ¥330,000,000, up ¥60,000,000 from 2009. At 23, Darvish became the youngest player in Japanese baseball history to reach the ¥300,000,000 mark.

2009: 2009 Japan Series

Yu Darvish pitched game 2 of the 2009 Japan Series on November 1, going six innings and earning the win against the Yomiuri Giants. After the series, a stress fracture of his right-hand forefinger was revealed.

October 18, 2010: Announcement of Return to Fighters

On October 18, 2010, Yu Darvish posted on his blog that he would be returning to the Fighters for the 2011 season.

2010: Speculation About MLB Move

In 2010, speculation increased about Yu Darvish's potential move to Major League Baseball. He announced his plans to review his options at the end of the season.

2010: 2010 Season struggles

Yu Darvish's 2010 season was a strong individual performance, but he struggled to win games due to the Fighters' troubles, and his opening-day loss was reflective of his season. He began the 2010 season losing to the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks on March 20, allowing two early unearned runs and striking out 13 in a complete game loss.

January 6, 2011: Highest-Paid Player in Japan

On January 6, 2011, Yu Darvish agreed to a contract for the 2011 season that would make him the highest-paid player in Japan.

2011: Returning to the Fighters

In 2010, Yu Darvish announced that he would be returning to the Fighters for the 2011 season.

January 2012: Divorce Finalized

In January 2012, Darvish and Saeko's divorce was finalized, coinciding with Darvish's signing with the Rangers.

2012: Fastball velocity increase

In 2012, Darvish's average fastball velocity was 92.7 miles per hour.

2012: MLB Debut and Rookie of the Year

In 2012, Yu Darvish debuted in MLB and finished third in the American League (AL) Rookie of the Year balloting.

2017: 2017 World Series Appearance

In 2017, Yu Darvish pitched in the World Series for the Dodgers, but his performance was underwhelming due to the Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal.

2018: Signed with Chicago Cubs

Before the 2018 season, Yu Darvish signed a six-year contract with the Chicago Cubs.

August 2019: Learned knuckle curve

In August 2019, Darvish learned a knuckle curve from Cubs teammate Craig Kimbrel and began using the pitch.

2019: Variety of Pitches

In 2019, Darvish used 10 different pitches including cutters, fastballs, slider, splitter, curveballs, knuckle curve, and a changeup.

2020: Fastball velocity increase

By 2020, Darvish's average fastball velocity had increased to 95.9 miles per hour.

2020: "Supreme Pitch" Revelation

In 2020, Darvish revealed on Twitter that he learned a "supreme pitch," which is a hybrid between a splitter and a two-seam fastball, reaching 93 mph.

2021: Traded to San Diego Padres and All-Star Selection

Before the 2021 season, Yu Darvish was traded to the San Diego Padres, and he was named an All-Star in 2021.

2023: World Baseball Classic Win

In 2023, Darvish rejoined Japan's roster for the WBC. He earned the win after allowing 3 runs in 3 innings in a start against South Korea. Over 3 games, he allowed 4 earned runs and 3 home runs in 6 innings. Japan won its first WBC title since 2009 in 2023.

2023: Signed Six-Year Extension with San Diego Padres

In 2023, Yu Darvish signed a six-year extension with the San Diego Padres.

July 30, 2025: 204th Career Victory

On July 30, 2025, Darvish earned his 204th career victory between Nippon Professional Baseball and MLB with a 5–0 win over the New York Mets, surpassing Hiroki Kuroda for the most all-time among Japanese-born players.