Yu Darvish has played in MLB for the Texas Rangers, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Chicago Cubs and in Nippon Professional Baseball for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters.
| FactSnippet No. 530,035 |
76 Facts About Yu Darvish
3.
Yu Darvish was considered by many to be the best pitcher in Japanese professional baseball prior to his arrival in Major League Baseball in 2012.
| FactSnippet No. 530,037 |
4.
On 6 April 2014, Yu Darvish reached the 500 strikeout mark in fewer innings pitched than any starting pitcher in MLB history.
| FactSnippet No. 530,038 |
6.
Yu Darvish's grandfather owned a travel agency in Iran and sent his son Farsad to the United States in 1977 to attend Berkshire School in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, where he played soccer and raced competitively in motocross.
| FactSnippet No. 530,040 |
7.
Yu Darvish began playing baseball in second grade and led his team to the quarterfinals of the national tournament as well as a third-place finish in the international tournament as a member of the Habikino Boys.
| FactSnippet No. 530,041 |
8.
Yu Darvish was scouted by over 50 high schools while in junior high.
| FactSnippet No. 530,042 |
9.
Yu Darvish opted to attend Tohoku High School in Northern Sendai, a baseball powerhouse that produced players such as former Seattle Mariners and Yokohama BayStars closer Kazuhiro Sasaki and former BayStars and Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Takashi Saito.
| FactSnippet No. 530,043 |
10.
Yu Darvish became Tohoku High's ace pitcher by the fall of his first year and led his team to four straight appearances in national tournaments held at Koshien Stadium in his junior and senior years, twice in the National High School Baseball Invitational Tournament held in the spring and twice in the National High School Baseball Championship in the summer.
| FactSnippet No. 530,044 |
11.
Yu Darvish led his team to the finals of the 85th National High School Baseball Championship in the summer of 2003, but gave up four runs to Joso Gakuin High School, the Ibaraki champions, in a complete game loss.
| FactSnippet No. 530,045 |
12.
Yu Darvish attracted national attention when he pitched a no-hitter against Kumamoto Technical High School in the first round of the 76th National High School Baseball Invitational Tournament as a senior on 26 March 2004.
| FactSnippet No. 530,046 |
13.
Yu Darvish was scouted by Major League teams, such as the then Anaheim Angels and Atlanta Braves, even while in junior high.
| FactSnippet No. 530,047 |
14.
Yu Darvish was considered one of the best high school pitchers in the 2004 NPB amateur draft along with Yokohama Senior High School right-hander Hideaki Wakui and Akita Municipal Akita Commercial High School right-hander Tsuyoshi Sato (Hiroshima Toyo Carp).
| FactSnippet No. 530,048 |
15.
Yu Darvish received further publicity when he was caught smoking in a pachinko parlor on an off-day during his first Spring training in 2005, despite not being old enough to legally smoke nor to gamble at the time.
| FactSnippet No. 530,049 |
17.
Yu Darvish was named the Fighters' starter for their 2007 season opener, becoming the fourth pitcher in franchise history to start a season opener within three years of graduating high school (the other three pitchers all started season openers as rookies).
| FactSnippet No. 530,051 |
18.
Yu Darvish led the Fighters to their second consecutive league title, winning both of his starts in the second round of the Climax Series against the Marines.
| FactSnippet No. 530,052 |
19.
The 24 strikeouts that Yu Darvish totaled in his two starts were the second-highest by any single pitcher in series history.
| FactSnippet No. 530,053 |
20.
Yu Darvish was presented with both his first career Eiji Sawamura Award and his first Most Valuable Player award following the season.
| FactSnippet No. 530,054 |
21.
Yu Darvish won the Golden Glove and Best Nine awards that year.
| FactSnippet No. 530,055 |
23.
On 22 December, Yu Darvish re-signed with the Nippon Ham Fighters for 200 million yen plus payment at piece rates, up 128 million yen from 2006.
| FactSnippet No. 530,057 |
24.
At 21 years old, Yu Darvish became the youngest player in Japanese baseball history to reach the 200 million yen mark.
| FactSnippet No. 530,058 |
25.
In 2008, Yu Darvish was named the Fighters' starter in the season opener for the second consecutive year, pitching a complete game shutout in that very game.
| FactSnippet No. 530,059 |
26.
Iwakuma went the distance, throwing just 100 pitches and giving up just one run on three hits; yet Yu Darvish topped this, throwing another complete game shutout on three hits and just 95 pitches in one of the best pitchers' duels of the season.
| FactSnippet No. 530,060 |
27.
On 1 December, Yu Darvish re-signed with the Nippon Ham Fighters for 270 million yen plus payment at piece rates, up 70 million yen from 2007.
| FactSnippet No. 530,061 |
28.
Yu Darvish started the Fighters' season opener for the third straight year in 2009, taking the mound against the Eagles on 3 April in a matchup with the reigning Sawamura Award winner and World Baseball Classic teammate Hisashi Iwakuma.
| FactSnippet No. 530,062 |
29.
Yu Darvish gave up three runs in the first inning but went the distance, allowing no runs from the second inning onward in a 121-pitch, complete game loss.
| FactSnippet No. 530,063 |
30.
Yu Darvish was activated again just in time for the 2009 Japan Series against the Central League champion Yomiuri Giants, and he pitched Game 2 on 1 November.
| FactSnippet No. 530,064 |
31.
Yu Darvish went six innings, giving up two runs on seven hits, and striking out 7 Giants.
| FactSnippet No. 530,065 |
32.
Yu Darvish was presented his second Most Valuable Player and Best Nine awards at the end of the season.
| FactSnippet No. 530,066 |
33.
Yu Darvish became the third player to have won 2 MVP awards in their first five years in the NPB, joining Kazuhisa Inao and Ichiro Suzuki.
| FactSnippet No. 530,067 |
34.
On 9 December, Yu Darvish re-signed with the Nippon Ham Fighters for 330 million yen, up 60 million yen from 2009.
| FactSnippet No. 530,068 |
35.
At 23, Yu Darvish became the youngest player in Japanese baseball history to reach the 300 million yen mark, along with being the highest-paid pitcher in the Pacific League presently.
| FactSnippet No. 530,069 |
37.
Yu Darvish allowed two early unearned runs on his way to a complete game loss striking out 13.
| FactSnippet No. 530,071 |
38.
Yu Darvish struck out at least 10 hitters in each of his first five starts.
| FactSnippet No. 530,072 |
39.
Yu Darvish was interviewed by The Associated Press where he announced his plans to review his options at the end of the season.
| FactSnippet No. 530,073 |
40.
Yu Darvish noted, "Right now, I'm just focused on helping my team win this season.
| FactSnippet No. 530,074 |
41.
Yu Darvish led the league with 10 complete games, 222 strikeouts, a 1.
| FactSnippet No. 530,075 |
42.
On 18 October 2010, Yu Darvish posted on his blog that he would be returning to the Fighters for the 2011 season.
| FactSnippet No. 530,076 |
43.
On 6 January 2011, Yu Darvish agreed to a contract for the 2011 season that would make him the highest-paid player in Japan.
| FactSnippet No. 530,077 |
44.
Yu Darvish was among the players who felt that it was not appropriate to quickly return to baseball, saying, "I am a baseball player and a human being as well.
| FactSnippet No. 530,078 |
45.
Yu Darvish struggled, allowing seven runs in seven innings and taking the loss.
| FactSnippet No. 530,079 |
46.
Yu Darvish led the league with 28 starts, 232 innings, 276 strikeouts and a 0.
| FactSnippet No. 530,080 |
47.
Yu Darvish started game one of the series, going seven innings and allowing only one run on four hits, while striking out nine.
| FactSnippet No. 530,081 |
48.
Yu Darvish was posted to Major League Baseball prior to the 2012 season, and is currently represented by agents Don Nomura and Arn Tellem.
| FactSnippet No. 530,082 |
50.
Yu Darvish did not get to run the bases however, as Ian Kinsler hit a line shot to the second baseman, and Darvish was tagged off of the bag to complete the double play.
| FactSnippet No. 530,084 |
51.
Yu Darvish threw 111 pitches, striking out 14 and walking none.
| FactSnippet No. 530,085 |
52.
On 27 May, Yu Darvish became the first player since Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling in 2002 to have 100 strikeouts by Memorial Day.
| FactSnippet No. 530,086 |
53.
Yu Darvish struck out David DeJesus and Wil Myers to start the game, notching his 500th career strikeout.
| FactSnippet No. 530,087 |
54.
The hit was initially ruled an error, thus allowing Yu Darvish to take a no-hitter into the ninth before Ortiz recorded a single in that inning, however Major League Baseball subsequently overruled the scoring decision, ending the no-hitter in the seventh.
| FactSnippet No. 530,088 |
55.
On 11 June 2014 Yu Darvish threw his first complete game shutout against the Miami Marlins.
| FactSnippet No. 530,089 |
56.
Yu Darvish entered the All Star Game in the third inning to retire all three batters.
| FactSnippet No. 530,090 |
57.
Yu Darvish underwent an MRI the following day, eventually to reveal that his right elbow had a torn UCL, preventing Darvish from participating for the entire 2015 baseball season.
| FactSnippet No. 530,091 |
58.
Yu Darvish underwent Tommy John surgery on 17 March 2015, performed by Dr James Andrews.
| FactSnippet No. 530,092 |
59.
Yu Darvish began the 2016 season on the 15-day disabled list in an effort to continue recovery from the Tommy John surgery he underwent in 2015.
| FactSnippet No. 530,093 |
60.
On February 13, 2018, Yu Darvish signed a six-year, $126 million contract with the Chicago Cubs.
| FactSnippet No. 530,094 |
61.
Yu Darvish played his first game with the Cubs on 31 March 2018, against the Miami Marlins.
| FactSnippet No. 530,095 |
62.
Yu Darvish gave up 33 home runs, the most in the National League, threw 11 wild pitches, the second-most in the NL, and hit 11 batsmen, third-most in the league.
| FactSnippet No. 530,096 |
63.
The following season, Yu Darvish threw his 3, 000th career strikeout on 2 September 2022, becoming only the second Japanese pitcher after Hideo Nomo to reach the milestone.
| FactSnippet No. 530,097 |
65.
Yu Darvish struck out his first batter, walked the next two, struck out his next, and then gave up a tying two-out single before finishing the inning with another strikeout.
| FactSnippet No. 530,099 |
66.
Yu Darvish is a right-handed pitcher who throws from a three-quarter arm slot in a drop-and-drive motion.
| FactSnippet No. 530,100 |
67.
Some professional scouts consider Yu Darvish to have the best repertoire of quality pitches, including the best slider, in all of Major League Baseball.
| FactSnippet No. 530,101 |
68.
Advance scouting on Yu Darvish is made difficult by his tendency to change his most frequent pitch sequences over time.
| FactSnippet No. 530,102 |
69.
Yu Darvish has succeeded in increasing his fastball velocity from year to year.
| FactSnippet No. 530,103 |
70.
Yu Darvish has a few ways to learn new pitches to add to his deep pitching arsenal.
| FactSnippet No. 530,104 |
71.
Yu Darvish announced later that Saeko was pregnant with their son.
| FactSnippet No. 530,105 |
72.
Yu Darvish announced plans to contribute to the fund by donating 100, 000 yen each time he notches a regular season win.
| FactSnippet No. 530,106 |
73.
Also, Yu Darvish has appeared on the covers of Japanese men's fashion magazines, such as GQ, Men's Non-No, and Gainer.
| FactSnippet No. 530,107 |
74.
Yu Darvish was selected as the "GQ Man of the Year" in the February 2012 Japan issue.
| FactSnippet No. 530,108 |
75.
On 30 July 2015, Yu Darvish announced that his girlfriend, former world-champion wrestler Seiko Yamamoto, gave birth to their son on 29 July.
| FactSnippet No. 530,109 |
76.
Yu Darvish has caused controversy in his neighborhood with requests to construct a six-foot high fence around the property and to acquire adjacent land owned by the City of Evanston.
| FactSnippet No. 530,110 |