Chicago Cubs: Here’s how Yu Darvish can rewrite the narrative

Chicago Cubs: Darvish ready to prove what he’s got

With less pressure and a better feel for the city, Darvish will be able to relax and focus on his health. To top that off, he doesn’t need to be the number one, two, three or even four starter on this team.

Jon Lester, Kyle Hendricks and Jose Quintana have the firepower at the front of the rotation, and the damage control addition of Cole Hamels in there as well is huge for the staff. The addition of Hamels paid so many dividends in 2018, but I think we will see greater benefits in 2019 in the form of Yu Darvish.

Darvish and Hamels pitched together in Texas, where the former began his career and pitched lights-out (52-39, 3.42 ERA in five seasons). Having a familiar face and friend back in the staff alongside him will make Darvish so much more comfortable in his new city, and I think he’ll be able to feed off Hamels in a very positive fashion.

With the ceiling to be the team’s ace and the cushion to be the fifth starter, Darvish can work to improve day-by-day and not worry about his critics. I believe he’s in a great situation and I believe he has the potential and work ethic to come back even better than he was before. He can prove not only Cubs fans wrong, but the rest of the league, by helping the Chicago Cubs have one of the best rotations in the league.