NLCS Game 3: Darvish postgame interview

October 18th, 2017

Q. Your pitching today in Chicago, how did you feel about today's outing?
YU DARVISH: I realize I'm on the visitor side. And the first home run I gave up to Schwarber after he hit, the stadium got really excited and all that stuff. But I was able to focus just to pitch after that home run.
:: NLCS schedule and coverage ::
Q. It seems like the hitters are looking for the pitches that you're throwing for strikes early in the count. How are you able to make adjustments after the second inning?
YU DARVISH: I really didn't change much approach-wise from first inning until the end of the game. I just kept pitching the same way.
Q. This stadium is known for the wind, but is there any wind factor to your off-speed pitches? Do they move much or anything like that?
YU DARVISH: When I was standing on the mound during game time, I really didn't feel much of a wind this time.
Q. On the sixth inning you drew a walk. Is that something that dugout gave you like something to do, or -- and then you were trying something, different stance and moving during at-bats, but as a pitcher, is it something that you feel like you should do, or is there anything to that?
YU DARVISH: In that situation, like I was in the dugout, and I think the manager, Doc, was still trying to decide whether he's going to pinch-hit or let me hit. So it was a last-minute call, and he didn't give me any advice or anything like that.
So when I stood on the mound, like facing a hitter, a guy who throws 95, 96 with a cutter, he's got something special going. So I didn't think I had a chance to hit. So I just wanted to try to do something, draw a walk or maybe get hit by pitch, anything just to score runs.

Q. When you were told in the sixth inning during the at-bat and the manager told you to go hit and you were going to keep pitching, how did you feel about that decision?
YU DARVISH: I mean, like when he told me to hit, I was just thinking about what I'm going to do when I'm hitting. That was my focus, what can I do to help the team win.
Q. What were your emotions when you saw Edwards miss outside for the fourth time and you knew you had driven in a run?
YU DARVISH: Initially I thought it was a strike, and then I looked back at video and it was a ball, but I was really happy.
Q. The Rangers general manager, Jon Daniels, mentioned that he said that he wanted you to get back to where you were before the Tommy John surgery. How do you see the process -- how do you feel about your process to this point after the Tommy John surgery? Where do you think you're at?
YU DARVISH: As a pitcher, I always just keep improving. I feel like I'm a better pitcher now than before the Tommy John surgery. But like I said, there is no goal set. So I just want to just keep pitching better and be a better pitcher.