Yu Darvish Leaning Towards Voiding Padres Contract, Not Yet Retired

Yu Darvish (elbow) is reportedly leaning towards voiding his remaining 3-year, $43M contract with the San Diego Padres after undergoing UCL brace surgery in November, which sidelines him for the entire 2026 season. Despite earlier reports, Darvish and his agent confirmed he has not officially announced retirement. He stated he's focused on rehab and will decide on his future competition based on his recovery. The 39-year-old five-time All-Star played 13 seasons with a 3.65 ERA and 2,075 strikeouts.