Darvish (right elbow) progresses to bullpens, but return still unclear

SAN DIEGO -- A few months ago, there was no guarantee we’d ever get to see Yu Darvish on the bullpen mound at Petco Park again.

But there he was early Wednesday morning, long before gates opened, throwing a light bullpen session while flanked by about a dozen teammates and coaches. Talk about a sight for sore eyes.

Shortly after he finished throwing, Darvish clarified this was his second full bullpen session as he continues his recovery from internal brace surgery on his right elbow last October.

The 40-year-old right-hander isn’t ready to make any declarative statements about his future. He’s living in the present. And in the present, Darvish got to throw off the mound Wednesday, so, naturally, he had a big smile on his face afterward.

“I’m really happy with it,” Darvish said.

That doesn’t mean Darvish is necessarily committed to a comeback. And it certainly doesn’t mean there’s any semblance of a timeline (though it’s a near certainty that he won’t pitch this season). It just means that Darvish is moving forward with his rehab -- which at least makes it possible that he could be back on a big league mound next year.​

Darvish has two years and $30 million remaining on the six-year deal he signed prior to the 2023 season. Last winter, reports surfaced that Darvish was planning to retire, but he quickly refuted them, saying he would commit to his rehab and simply see where it took him.

“I am fully focused on my rehab for my elbow, and if I get to a point where I can throw again, I will start from scratch again to compete,” Darvish said in a social media post at the time. “If once I get to that point I feel I can’t do that, I will announce my retirement.”

Seven months later, Darvish clearly remains committed to that rehab, even if he hasn’t made any decisions about his future. He says he’s essentially on schedule in his recovery process.

“He looks like he could come back,” said manager Craig Stammen. “We’ll see if he wants to.”

Darvish has been on the restricted list since Opening Day -- essentially an agreement he made with the Padres so he could go about his recovery on his own terms, while spending additional time away from the team and with his family. Players on the restricted list remain under contractual control of the team they play for, but are no longer mandated to receive compensation.

Because he’s on the restricted list, Darvish doesn’t spend gamedays with the team. But now that his rehab has ramped up, he still comes to Petco Park somewhat regularly, long before first pitch, then leaves before the game begins.

Darvish, of course, is one of the best pitchers of his generation. Across 13 seasons with the Rangers, Dodgers, Cubs and Padres, he has gone 115-93 with a 3.65 ERA and 2,075 strikeouts. His 208 combined victories between MLB and Japan’s NPB are the most all-time.

And who knows? Maybe he has a few more in him.