Yu Darvish's Success and Achievements in Timeline

A closer look at the biggest achievements of Yu Darvish. Awards, milestones, and records that define success.

Yu Darvish is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher currently playing for the San Diego Padres in MLB. Before joining the Padres, he played for the Texas Rangers, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Chicago Cubs in MLB, as well as the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters in Nippon Professional Baseball. Darvish has represented Japan in international competitions, including the Olympics and the World Baseball Classic (WBC), including 2009 and 2023.

Sections (4)

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

1901: Reference to Modern Era Start

On September 16 in a recent year, Yu Darvish extended his MLB record of consecutive games with multiple strikeouts to 280, the longest streak by any player since the modern era began in 1901.

1961: Fighters' First Championship Since 1961

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

1981: Fighters' First Pacific League Title Since 1981

In 2006, Yu Darvish played a leading role in the Fighters' first Pacific League title since 1981.

1982: Suguru Egawa first to clear guidelines to not win award

In 2008, Yu Darvish became just the second pitcher to clear the guidelines in all seven categories to not win the Sawamura Award, Suguru Egawa was the first in 1982.

2002: Comparison to Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling

In 2013, on May 27, Yu Darvish became the first player since Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling in 2002 to reach 100 strikeouts by Memorial Day, marking a significant milestone in his career.

March 26, 2004: Pitched No-Hitter in High School 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.

2006: Breakout Year and Championship

In 2006, Yu Darvish had a breakout year with a 12–5 record and a 2.89 ERA, contributing to the Fighters' Pacific League title and Japan Series championship. He also won the Asia Series Most Valuable Player award.

2007: Named 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 against the Lions on March 30 and 14 again in his next start against the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks on April 7, becoming the second pitcher in Japanese professional baseball history to strike out 14 or more batters in two consecutive starts.

2009: 2009 World Baseball Classic

In 2009, Darvish pitched in the World Baseball Classic as the de facto ace, starting against China on March 5, pitching four innings with no hits and one walk, striking out three in a 4-0 win. In his second outing against South Korea on March 17, he struggled, giving up three runs in five innings and taking the loss. On March 23, 2009, he earned his first career save pitching the final inning of the semifinals against the United States, securing a 9-4 win for Japan.

2009: Japan Won WBC title

In 2009, Japan won its first WBC title. In 2023, Darvish re-joined Japan's roster for the WBC.

January 18, 2012: Signing with Texas Rangers

On January 18, 2012, Yu Darvish signed a six-year, $60 million contract with the Texas Rangers, just 15 minutes before the deadline. Nolan Ryan noted Darvish's control at his age.

February 2012: GQ Man of the Year

In the February 2012 issue, Yu Darvish was selected as the "GQ Man of the Year" in Japan.

2012: MLB Debut and Rookie of the Year Nomination

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

2012: Selection for MLB All-Star Game

In 2012, Yu Darvish was selected as one of the final two players for the MLB All-Star Game, representing the American League. At the time of the announcement, he had a record of 10 wins and 5 losses with a 3.59 ERA. However, he did not pitch in the game itself.

April 2, 2013: Near Perfect Game vs. Houston Astros

On April 2, 2013, Yu Darvish pitched a near-perfect game against the Houston Astros, maintaining it through 8+2⁄3 innings before giving up a single to Marwin González. He threw 111 pitches, striking out 14 and walking none.

2014: Selection to All-Star Game

In 2014, Yu Darvish was selected to play in the All-Star Game on July 6. He entered the game in the third inning, retiring all three batters he faced and earning a hold.

2014: Achievements and Near No-Hitter

Throughout 2014, Yu Darvish achieved his 500th career strikeout, becoming the fastest MLB player to reach this milestone in terms of innings pitched. He also had a near no-hitter against the Boston Red Sox on May 9, which was initially ruled an error but later changed.

2016: Return from Surgery and First MLB Home Run

In 2016, Yu Darvish returned from Tommy John surgery on May 28, pitching five innings and allowing one run. Later, on August 24, he hit his first career MLB home run in a game against the Cincinnati Reds.

2020: Second Place in Cy Young Voting

In the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, Yu Darvish finished second in the National League Cy Young voting after a season where he went 8–3 with a 2.01 ERA, leading the league in wins and excelling in several other statistical categories.

2021: Traded to the San Diego Padres and Named an All-Star

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

2022: Postseason Starts and Wins

In 2022, Yu Darvish made four starts during the postseason. He earned a win in Game 1 of the NL Wild Card Series against the New York Mets and in Game 2 of the NLDS against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

2022: 3,000th Career Strikeout and Season Performance

In 2022, Yu Darvish threw his 3,000th career strikeout on September 2, becoming the second Japanese pitcher to reach this milestone. He finished the season with a 16–8 record, a 3.10 ERA, and 197 strikeouts in 194+2⁄3 innings.