MLB Rumors: San Diego Padres Linked To Chicago Cubs Star Pitcher

KEY POINTS

The Padres will do fine even if they do not succeed in getting Yu Darvish from the Cubs
The Cubs are unlikely to entertain a deal for the Japanese pitcher
Darvish remains a force even at the age of 34

The Chicago Cubs have had to deal with a lot of Yu Darvish trade speculations and another team has been added to the list.

The San Diego Padres have been singled out as a possible suitor for the 34-year-old pitcher, but pundits feel this is something that will not progress.

Jon Morosi of the MLB Network first reported San Diego's interest in acquiring Darvish. Though the franchise had high-end prospect depth, Morosi claimed that the Japanese pitcher’s ties with A.J. Preller will play a factor as both worked together as part of the Texas Rangers roster.

The name of Darvish has been mentioned in different MLB trade scenarios, but most feel that the Cubs are unlikely to move the ace pitcher, Jon Heyman tweeted. He is coming off a terrific 2020 campaign where he posted a 2.01 ERA and 0.96 WHIP with 93 strikeouts in 76 innings across 12 starts during the coronavirus-shortened season.

The #Padres are one possible suitor for Yu Darvish, as I mentioned on @MLBNetwork a few moments ago. San Diego has high-end prospect depth from which to trade, and A.J. Preller knows Darvish well from their time together with the #Rangers. #MLBNHotStove
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) December 23, 2020

The four-time All-Star is under contract until 2023 and has so far proven worth every penny of that $126 million deal signed in February 2018.

In his first two years in Chicago, Darvish posted a modest 4.16 ERA in 39 appearances. It would be best to note that this included an injury-riddled season in 2018.

Also, Darvish seems to be staying the course. Aware that he is not getting younger, the Japanese baseball player feels that he is getting even stronger moving forward.

Cubs ace Yu Darvish seems out there in trade talks, but it may be an example of a willingness to consider anything. And, off 2nd place Cy finish plus big 2nd half in ‘19, 1 exec rates trade chance as “very low,” and 1 uninvolved rival exec, guessed this on the ask: “Babe Ruth?”
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) December 21, 2020

“I feel weird," Darvish said to Gordon Wittenmyer of NBC Sports Chicago in an interview back in August. "Most people when you get old, you lose [velocity] and a lot of stuff, but I feel really good, more than when I was 25, 26. So I feel weird."

San Diego established itself as a championship contender last season, led by the offense of players like Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado and Wil Myers.

Getting Darvish from the Cubs makes sense for the Padres. However, seeing that go down is not looking too high. Regardless, both clubs should be fine without any deal heading into the new MLB season.