CHICAGO -- Yu Darvish did not win the National League Cy Young Award on Wednesday evening, but the Cubs pitcher did get some good news.
Darvish learned that his runner-up finish came with some financial gain, and he now plans to help others with his unexpected salary increase.
On Thursday morning, Darvish posted on Twitter in Japanese that he was surprised to learn from his agent that he would be earning an additional $1 million in each of the next three seasons. The Cubs' ace wrote that he will donate a portion to charity, but the amount and where it will go are to be determined.
That $1 million escalator was built into Darvish's six-year, $126 million contract based on finishing between second and fifth in NL Cy Young Award voting. As a result of the righty finishing in second place behind winner Trevor Bauer, Darvish will have a base salary of $23 million in 2021, $20 million in '22 and $19 million in '23.
This is only the latest in Darvish's charitable endeavors.
In April, Darvish donated more than $40,000 in profits from his YouTube channel, split between causes to aid cancer research and to help single-mother households. He has contributed to ALS research, animal rescues and other causes. In 2007, Darvish also established the Yu Darvish Water Fund to help provide clean water in developing countries.