KEY POINTS

  • The San Diego Padres are closing in on a Yu Darvish deal
  • The Padres are serious about competing in the World Series next year
  • Darvish leaving the Chicago Cubs comes as a surprise

Critics were skeptical when the trade rumors between the Chicago Cubs and San Diego Padres for Yu Darvish had surfaced.

However, it appears the Cubs have spurned all that with word aggressively going around that a deal with the Padres is on the verge of happening.

Sources tell the Sports Center that the Padres are acquiring Darvish and catcher Victor Cartini for pitcher Zach Davies and four prospects. Considering a trade for the Japanese pitcher was initially taken with a grain of salt, the whole deal may come as a surprise.

In a previous post, it was hard to perceive who the Padres could offer for the four-time All-Star. The inclusion of Davies is seen as a way to cover salary and trading pitchers.

Also, trading away the 34-year-old may be a bit odd considering Darvish is coming off a good 2020 season. He posted a 2.01 ERA and 0.96 WHIP with 93 strikeouts in 76 innings across 12 starts during the coronavirus-shortened season.

Darvish, who is under contract until 2023, has been doing well for the Cubs. Despite encountering injuries along the way, he seems to be getting stronger with each passing year.

"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," Darvish told Gordon Wittenmyer of NBC Sports Chicago some months back.

Once sealed, it boosts the chances of the Padres who are already considered a championship contender this coming MLB season. The 2020 All-MLB First Team member will join a stacked club that includes Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado and Wil Myers.

For the Cubs, it is a testament that they are open to anything. Some view it as a salary dump, but Darvish’s arrival benefits the Padres, at least for the next couple of years.

After reaching the postseason for the first time since 2006 last fall, San Diego wants to go deeper next MLB season. The World Series championship is undoubtedly their ultimate goal and their chances are looking good as ever.

The battle for NL West supremacy should be worth keeping tabs with this coming 2021 MLB season.

Yu Darvish, Chicago Cubs
Yu Darvish is tied for 11th with a $25,000,000 base salary for the 2018 MLB season. Joe Robbins/Getty Images
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