"He's not losing out physically" - Shota Imanaga is all praises for countryman Yu Darvish after Padres pitcher's 200th win
Chicago Cubs rookie Shota Imanaga has showered his praise on fellow Japanese pitcher Yu Darvish after he reached a milestone of 200 career wins. This impressive feat combines Darvish’s victories in both Major League Baseball and Nippon Professional Baseball.
"Getting 200 wins is said to be really hard to achieve in modern-day baseball," the left-hander said.
"He's had his elbow surgery too , and it's an unimaginable number. The most amazing thing is he's not losing out physically." said Shota Imanaga. (as per Kyodo News)
In today’s baseball, world reaching 200 career wins is not an easy achievement. The pitching strategies and hitter training have changed significantly. That makes it tough for modern pitchers to dominate games as they did in the past. So Darvish's ability to continue his success while still improving is quite astounding.
The evolution was even tougher for him, as he had to go through Tommy John surgery in 2015. However, Darvish battled back, returning stronger and reaching even greater heights. This season, hes leading the San Diego Padres 4-1. He boasts an ERA of 2.08. He has a WHIP of 0.90 and has struck 46 times.
His former teammate Shohei Ohtani, who has played alongside him in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, has given him a unique perspective.
"Instead of waning, I get the impression that he's evolving each year," said Shohei Ohtani in an interview (as per Kyodo News).
The statement highlights that Darvish’s achievement is not only about the number of wins but also the continuous improvements he has shown throughout his career. Darvish’s 200 career wins consist of 107 MLB wins and 93 Japan league wins.
The reason for Darvish’s success is his constant learning mindset. Despite being a seasoned Veteran, Darvish is always open to new ideas. He observes and learns from other players and incorporates these insights into his own pitching style. In the MLB, he has been an All-Star five times, while in the Nippon League, he was the Pacific League MVP two times.
Darvish's accomplishment serves as an inspiration to young players, especially those from Japan. It shows that success in the MLB is achievable and that dedication to improvement can lead to incredible results.
Yu Darvish earns praise from former coach
Shohei Ohtani was not the only one who was impressed by Darvish’s 200th win. His former coach, Masato Yoshii, has also praised him for his incredible milestone.
"I thought he was a player with really strong aspiration and curiosity. He's a baseball man and a junior who I really respect," said Masato Yoshii. (as per Kyodo news)
Yoshi was the former coach of Darvish and used to coach him while he was Nippon Ham Fighters in Japan.
He's now the manager of the Japanese team Chiba Lotte Marines. Darvish became the third Japanese pitcher to have this achievement, emulating Nomo Hideo and Kuroda Hiroki.