Chicago Cubs Yu Darvish tops Comeback Player of the Year watchlist

Chicago Cubs Starting Pitcher Yu Darvish looks to bounce back to dominance in 2019 after a disappointing and injury-riddled 2018.

Yu Darvish looks to take the bump in Arlington, Texas Saturday when the Chicago Cubs take on the Texas Rangers as a part of a three-game series. Darvish, who has been under the scrutiny of the media for what feels like over a year, will be afforded the opportunity to display his regained talents in a place he feels comfortable. Darvish will throw as the visiting pitcher against The Rangers; the same park he made a name for himself in his early years and picked up 4 All-Star team nominations.

Yu Darvish is entering the 2019 season with what he and others have described as the best his pitches have looked. Yu Darvish was arguably the most impressive player in Cubs camp this spring. The tall righty appears to be confident on and off the field, looking poised for his redemption tour.

While I think Darvish will return to the pitcher we paid him to be, there also may be some room for concern. Darvish has had issues with a blister on his throwing hand towards the end of his time at Spring Training and could render his effectiveness in the early parts of the season.

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Darvish’s blister sent chills down many cubs fans spines because of the very short and bumpy road he has had in Chicago and the amount of money invested in him. This story is likely just being overblown by the fanbase and media because of the history of the relationship thus far. With that being said, a blister is short term. The Cubs have an excellent chance of playing into October and Darvish’s health long term will be a massive piece in reaching the playoffs.

We as passionate sports fans have tendencies to have a short term bias. Darvish has fallen victim to this and many Cubs fans need to gain some perspective on what he can bring to the table. Entering his age 32 season, Darvish has a career WHIP of 1.19 and a K per 9 rates of 11 according to baseball reference. These numbers tell me that Darvish has battled his injuries and maintained success in keeping runners off the bases and hitters from making contact.

Something that you cannot see on the stat sheet is his change in demeanor. He seems like a completely different player and person than the Darvish we saw in 2017 or 2018. He is speaking to reporters in English, talking about how well his pitches have performed and what changes he has made, including some pitch grip changes and training routine.

I know how quickly we as Cubs fans can turn on an underperforming player, so here is my message to all Cubs fans. Yu Darvish has set himself up for success in 2019. He looks great on and off the field, and HE IS HEALTHY for the first time in a long time. Give the guy a chance. We need Darvish to stay healthy and compete all year to win the division.