June 27, 2025 10:20 PM : Darvish (elbow) threw three simulated innings against Single-A hitters Wednesday, Yuki Yamada of MLB.com reports.
Analysis: Per Yamada, Darvish threw 51 pitches, and his fastball topped out at 94.5 mph. The right-hander threw about 10 more pitches than in his previous sim game June 20, so he appears to be gradually ramping up toward a return. Darvish stated after the contest that he's not sure what his next step will be, but he suggested that he could pitch in a minor-league game soon. The veteran hurler also said he'd like to return to the majors before the All-Star break but qualified that statement by indicating that he's not sure if that will happen. Darvish has yet to pitch for the Padres this season, and his return could be a big boost to a San Diego rotation that's currently without Michael King (shoulder) and Ryan Bergert (forearm) as well as Joe Musgrove (elbow), who isn't expected to pitch until 2026.