History of Yu Darvish in Timeline
"Yu Darvish is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher for the San Diego Padres. He has also played for the Texas Rangers, Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, and Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters. Representing Japan, Darvish participated in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2009 World Baseball Classic."
1901: Longest Streak of Consecutive Games with Multiple Strikeouts
Since the modern era of baseball began in 1901, Yu Darvish extended his record for the longest streak of consecutive games with multiple strikeouts to 280.
1960: Shortest World Series Start Since 1960
Yu Darvish's game 7 start in the 2017 World Series was the shortest start by a pitcher since Art Ditmar in 1960.
1961: Fighters' Previous Championship Title
The Fighters last won a championship title in 1961 before Yu Darvish contributed to their victory in 2006.
1977: Father's Move to the United States
In 1977, Yu Darvish's father, Farsad, was sent to the United States by his grandfather to attend Berkshire School in Massachusetts.
1981: Fighters' Previous Pacific League Title
The Fighters last won the Pacific League title in 1981 before Yu Darvish helped them win it again in 2006.
1982: Suguru Egawa Fails to Win the Sawamura Award
In 1982, Suguru Egawa became the first pitcher to meet all seven criteria for winning the Sawamura Award but not receive the honor.
1987: Youngest Japan Series Starting Pitcher
Yu Darvish became the youngest pitcher since 1987 to start a Japan Series game while under 21 years old.
2003: National High School Baseball Championship
Yu Darvish led his team to the finals of the 85th National High School Baseball Championship in 2003, but they lost to Joso Gakuin High School.
March 26, 2004: No-Hitter Against Kumamoto Technical High School
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.
2005: Pachinko Parlor Incident
In 2005, Yu Darvish was caught smoking in a pachinko parlor, leading to his suspension from high school and probation from the Nippon Ham Fighters.
February 2006: Shoulder Injury and Pitching Adjustments
After sustaining a shoulder injury in February 2006, Yu Darvish removed the screwball from his pitching repertoire and developed his splitter as a replacement.
2006: Breakout Year and Championship Title
Yu Darvish had a breakout year in 2006, achieving a 12-5 record and playing a key role in the Fighters' first Pacific League title since 1981 and their first championship since 1961. He also won the Asia Series Most Valuable Player award.
2006: Record-Breaking Contract Renewal
Yu Darvish re-signed with the Nippon Ham Fighters for a record-breaking amount, becoming the youngest player in Japanese baseball history to reach the ¥200,000,000 mark.
February 2007: Establishment of the "Yu Darvish Water Fund"
In February 2007, Yu Darvish established the "Yu Darvish Water Fund," a humanitarian fund dedicated to providing clean water resources in developing countries.
August 2007: Relationship with Saeko
In August 2007, Yu Darvish confirmed his relationship with Japanese model and actress Saeko.
November 11, 2007: Marriage to Saeko
Yu Darvish married Saeko on November 11, 2007.
December 3, 2007: National Team Debut
Yu Darvish made his national team debut on December 3, 2007, against Chinese Taipei in the Asian Baseball Championship.
2007: Season Opener Starter and Consecutive 14-Strikeout Games
In 2007, Yu Darvish was named the Fighters' starting pitcher for the season opener. He also became the second pitcher in Japanese professional baseball history to strike out 14 or more batters in two consecutive starts.
2007: Darvish Re-signs with Nippon Ham Fighters
On December 1, 2007, Darvish signed a new contract with the Nippon Ham Fighters, earning a significant pay raise from the previous season.
March 2008: Birth of First Son
In March 2008, Yu Darvish and Saeko welcomed their first child, a son.
2008: Ace of the Japanese National Team
During the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Yu Darvish was named the ace pitcher for the Japanese national baseball team.
2008: Retaining Japanese Citizenship for Olympics
To play for the national team in the 2008 Olympics, Yu Darvish chose to retain his Japanese citizenship.
2008: Beijing Olympics
Yu Darvish participated in the Beijing Olympics in 2008 as a member of the Japan national baseball team.
2008: Second Consecutive Season Opener Start and Pitching Duel with Hisashi Iwakuma
Yu Darvish started the season opener for the second year in a row in 2008 and had a memorable pitching duel with Hisashi Iwakuma, where both pitchers demonstrated exceptional performance.
2009: Darvish Pitches in Japan Series
Darvish returned from injury to pitch in the 2009 Japan Series against the Yomiuri Giants, winning game 2 despite suffering from a stress fracture and hip pains.
2009: Darvish Participates in the World Baseball Classic
In 2009, Darvish played in the World Baseball Classic, gaining international exposure.
2009: De Facto Ace in the World Baseball Classic
In the 2009 World Baseball Classic, Yu Darvish served as the de facto ace pitcher for the Japanese national team.
2009: Darvish Becomes Highest-Paid Pitcher in Pacific League
On December 9, 2009, Darvish signed a contract extension with the Nippon Ham Fighters, making him the highest-paid pitcher in the Pacific League and the youngest player in Japanese baseball history to reach the ¥300,000,000 mark.
2009: World Baseball Classic
Yu Darvish played in the 2009 World Baseball Classic as a member of the Japan national baseball team.
February 2010: Birth of Second Son
The second child of Yu Darvish and Saeko, another son, was born in February 2010.
October 18, 2010: Darvish Announces Return to Fighters
On October 18, 2010, Darvish announced on his blog that he would be returning to the Nippon Ham Fighters for the 2011 season.
2010: Darvish Starts Season with a Loss
Darvish began the 2010 season by taking a loss against the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks on March 20, despite pitching a complete game and striking out 13 batters.
2010: Darvish Considers Future After the Season
During the 2010 season, Darvish considered his future playing options, expressing interest in potentially playing in Major League Baseball. His increased exposure from international play and recurring injuries contributed to his decision.
January 6, 2011: Darvish Signs Lucrative Contract
On January 6, 2011, Darvish signed a contract that made him the highest-paid player in Japanese baseball at the time.
April 12, 2011: Season Begins After Delay
Following a delay due to the Tohoku earthquake, the baseball season commenced on April 12, 2011, with Darvish starting for the Fighters and taking the loss.
December 14, 2011: Darvish Posting Deadline for MLB Teams
December 14, 2011, marked the deadline for MLB teams to submit blind bids for Darvish's rights.
December 19, 2011: Texas Rangers Win Posting Bid
On December 19, 2011, the Texas Rangers' bid of $51.7 million for Darvish was accepted by the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters.
December 20, 2011: Nippon Ham Fighters' Deadline for Posting Decision
The Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters had until December 20, 2011, to decide whether to accept the highest bid for Darvish from an MLB team.
2011: Darvish Expresses Concern Over Earthquake
Darvish expressed concern about resuming baseball following the devastating Tohoku earthquake in 2011 and participated in relief efforts, donating a significant sum to the Japanese Red Cross.
2011: Darvish Stays with Fighters
Darvish returned to the Nippon Ham Fighters for the 2011 season.
January 2012: Divorce from Saeko
Yu Darvish and Saeko finalized their divorce in January 2012.
January 18, 2012: Darvish Signs With Texas Rangers
Darvish officially signed a six-year, $60 million contract with the Texas Rangers on January 18, 2012, just before the deadline.
February 2012: "GQ Man of the Year"
Yu Darvish received recognition for his style and influence when he was named "GQ Man of the Year" in the February 2012 Japan issue of GQ magazine.
2012: Darvish Named to All-Star Game Roster
In 2012, Yu Darvish was selected to represent the American League in the MLB All-Star Game but did not get to pitch during the game.
2012: MLB Debut
Yu Darvish made his debut in Major League Baseball in 2012.
April 2, 2013: Near Perfect Game
On April 2, 2013, Yu Darvish pitched 8 2/3 innings of a perfect game, ultimately losing it to a single by Marwin González.
April 2014: 500-Strikeout Mark
In April 2014, Yu Darvish achieved the 500-strikeout milestone in fewer innings pitched than any other starting pitcher in MLB history.
2014: First Complete-Game Shutout
In 2014, Yu Darvish threw his first complete-game shutout, striking out 10 batters from the Miami Marlins.
March 17, 2015: Tommy John Surgery
Yu Darvish underwent Tommy John surgery on March 17, 2015, sidelining him for the entire season.
July 30, 2015: Birth of Son with Seiko Yamamoto
On July 30, 2015, Yu Darvish announced the birth of his son with his girlfriend, former world-champion wrestler Seiko Yamamoto, the day prior.
June 13, 2016: Neck and Shoulder Strain
Yu Darvish was placed on the 15-day disabled list on June 13, 2016, because of neck and shoulder strains.
August 24, 2016: First MLB Home Run
On August 24, 2016, Yu Darvish hit his first career MLB homerun against the Cincinnati Reds.
July 31, 2017: Traded to the Dodgers
Yu Darvish was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers from the Texas Rangers on July 31, 2017, in exchange for three prospects.
2017: World Series Appearance
Yu Darvish pitched in the 2017 World Series for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
February 13, 2018: Signs With the Cubs
Yu Darvish signed a six-year contract with the Chicago Cubs on February 13, 2018.
August 19, 2018: Stress Reaction in Elbow
Yu Darvish left a rehab start on August 19, 2018 after experiencing pain, which turned out to be a stress reaction in his right elbow.
2018: Purchase of Evanston Home
In 2018, Yu Darvish invested in a $4.55 million residence in Evanston, Illinois.
March 29, 2019: Lawsuit Regarding Fence Construction
On March 29, 2019, Yu Darvish faced a lawsuit from his neighbors in Evanston, Illinois, who contested the construction of a fence around his property.
August 2019: Learning a Knuckle Curve
In August 2019, Yu Darvish expanded his pitching arsenal by learning a knuckle curve from his Chicago Cubs teammate, Craig Kimbrel.
2019: Diverse Pitching Repertoire
Throughout the 2019 season, Yu Darvish showcased a wide range of pitches, utilizing 10 different types.
January 13, 2020: Astros Disciplined for Sign Stealing
The Houston Astros were disciplined on January 13, 2020, for stealing signs during the 2017 MLB postseason, in which Yu Darvish pitched poorly against them in the World Series.
December 29, 2020: Traded to the Padres
Yu Darvish was traded to the San Diego Padres on December 29, 2020.
2020: Development of a "Supreme Pitch"
In 2020, Yu Darvish revealed his creation of a hybrid pitch combining elements of a splitter and a two-seam fastball, which he referred to as his "supreme pitch."
2021: All-Star Selection
Yu Darvish was chosen as an All-Star for the San Diego Padres in 2021.
September 2, 2022: 3,000th Career Strikeout
On September 2, 2022, Yu Darvish achieved his 3,000th career strikeout, becoming the second Japanese pitcher in history to reach this milestone after Hideo Nomo.
February 9, 2023: Contract Extension with the Padres
On February 9, 2023, Yu Darvish signed a six-year contract extension with the San Diego Padres, securing his future with the team.
August 14, 2023: MLB's Japanese-Born Strikeout Leader
Darvish became MLB's all-time leader in strikeouts among Japanese-born pitchers on August 14, 2023, surpassing Hideo Nomo.
2023: Selected for the World Baseball Classic
Yu Darvish was named to Japan's roster for the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
