Yu Darvish Gets Honest About Wanting to Be Padres Teammates With Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Darvish doesn't mince any words about his team not adding the top Japanese-born free agents this past offseason.

The San Diego Padres had an uneventful winter after a 2023 season that began with so much promise — and World Series ambitions — didn't pan out their way during the season, and it certainly didn't in the offseason. 

Instead, the Padres lost more than they gained. On top of that, what made it hurt more was their rivals, the Los Angeles Dodgers, who created the greatest team on paper we've ever seen. 

The Dodgers acquired the top two free agents in the 2023-24 market, two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani and Japanese ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto. 

Although the Padres were in the mix for the two stars, their payroll said otherwise. Still, that doesn't stop fans or even Padres ace Yu Darvish from being upset for not landing at least one of these two. 

In a recent interview with the media, including USA Today's Bob Nightingale, Darvish gets honest about not adding his fellow Japanese natives. 

“Frankly speaking, it would have been nice if they came here and they were my teammates,” Darvish said.

—Yu Darvish, via USA Today

Darvish was also asked if he tried recruiting them to San Diego. 

“No,’’ he said. “Obviously, we were in a situation we were in as an organization financially, and stuff like that, so we never got to that point.’’ 

—Yu Darvish, via USA Today

The Padres were in no position to sign either Ohtani or Yamamoto, let alone both. However, if there is a will, there's a way, and there was a way to create some cap space and for the team to try to please their 37-year-old pitcher. 

From what we know now, it seems like Los Angeles was always the place Ohtani and Yamamoto would choose. Instead of being teammates, now Darvish will gear up to face these two for the next handful of seasons.