July 4, 2025 4:43 PM : Padres manager Mike Shildt said Friday that Darvish (elbow) is "probably not" going to start for the Padres on Sunday, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.
Analysis: With the Padres in the midst of playing 10 games in 10 days and having a hole in their rotation for Sunday, there was some speculation that Darvish -- who hasn't pitched in the big leagues yet this year -- could be activated off the IL to make his season debut. However, that doesn't appear to be in San Diego's plans despite the fact that Darvish tossed 64 pitches in his most recent simulated game Tuesday. The Padres may instead want the veteran right-hander to make at least one minor-league rehab start before returning him to the big club, but it remains uncertain how the team will handle Sunday's open rotation spot. Cassavell suggests that a starter could be called up from the minors, but the situation remains nebulous.