Padres Pitcher Yu Darvish Announced Will Miss 2026 Season After Undergoing Surgery

The Friar Faithful could be in for a bit of a bumpy ride. The team currently has some holes to fill especially when it comes to starting pitching. For instance, San Diego Padres starting pitcher Yu Darvish announced that he will miss the 2026 season after undergoing surgery to repair his flexor tendon and an internal brace attached to his UCL.

Darvish took to social media to express how hard he plans to come back to being a useful asset on the mound for the brown and gold; along with details on who performed his procedure. His thoughts have been translated from Japanese utilizing an online translation tool. Yu states,

“Last Wednesday, I underwent elbow surgery performed by Dr. Meister. [So then], I will not be able to pitch in games during the 2026 season. I will work hard on my rehabilitation to be able to throw a ball comfortably again.

Last Wednesday I had surgery done by Dr. Meister to repair my flexor tendon, have an internal brace attached to my UCL. I will be working hard on my rehab to be able to throw a ball comfortably again.”

Padres Pitcher Yu Darvish Announced Will Miss 2026 Season After Undergoing Surgery

UCL (ulnar collateral ligament) brace surgery, or a UCL repair with an internal brace, is a procedure to fix a damaged elbow ligament by reattaching it to bone and reinforcing it with a high-strength collagen fiber tape. Nevertheless, getting back to a comfortable throwing level could take time. However, more modern methods are helping to cut “away” periods short. According to the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC):

“UCL injuries range from mild discomfort, with inflammation on the inside of the elbow, to severe and painful injuries that limit a pitcher’s motion, mobility and throwing velocity.

Ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) repair, an increasingly popular alternative to UCL reconstruction, gets throwing athletes off the injured list and back on the playing field safely and more quickly than traditional surgical treatments. UCL repair is less invasive and reduces recovery by six months, and that’s crucial because a year off the field can dim recruitment prospects and derail a career.”

However, if there is a pitcher that can make a comeback though being up in age; Yu Darvish could be the one to do it. Darvish is well-known for taking care of himself and having a good physical work ethic. But even outside of Darvish, the Padres will have to contend with losing Michael King and Dylan Cease to free agency. We will have to see what moves the San Diego organization and GM AJ Preller have in store.

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