Padres News: Lakers Star Says Yu Darvish Was His Mentor Early in His Career

Sam Garcia | Oct 4, 2024

Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

The Major Leagues have seen many baseball players emerge from Japan, including Padres starting pitcher Yu Darvish and Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani and starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Darvish and Ohtani, who both have been National League All-Stars, will go head-to-head in the National League Division Series.

After becoming the first player in MLB history to record 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a single season, Ohtani is the frontrunner for the NL MVP title. With 54 home runs this season, Ohtani is a threat to any pitcher on the mound. Darvish is slated to start for the Padres in Game 2 of the NLDS on Sunday, creating a highly anticipated matchup between the two Japanese superstars. 

The star power of Japanese athletes transcends baseball. Lakers forward Rui Hachimura, whose name means “base” in Japanese, is an avid fan of baseball. He grew up playing baseball with his grandfather but ultimately decided to take the basketball route. When asked by reporters who he thinks will win, Hachimura remained loyal to the fellow Los Angeles franchise. 

“Dodgers [will win]. I’ve gotta say it no matter what,” Hachimura told reporters. 

Baseball analyst Rui Hachimura gives his take on Ohtani, Darvish, Dodgers, Padres: pic.twitter.com/og6Yw0T8co

— Daniel Starkand (@DStarkand) October 3, 2024

But, it was not an easy choice for the first-ever Japanese first-round draft pick in NBA history. Hachimura, who was drafted ninth overall in the 2019 NBA draft, credited Darvish as one of his mentors in his rookie season.

“He's like my mentor. When I got to the league, he was always supporting me," Hachimura said to reporters. "He came to the game too, one time. I remember that when I was in DC, he had my jersey and everything on.”

Darvish has made several appearances at Hachimura’s games since he began his NBA career. The Padres right-hander made his MLB debut in 2012, giving him seven years of experience as a professional athlete in the United States in Hachimura's rookie season. It seems Darvish took Hachimura under his wing to guide him through the transition to life on a new continent. 

Regardless of the outcome of the NLDS, Hachimura said he is proud of the Japanese athletes for getting the opportunity to play in a high-stakes series like the NLDS.

“I'm just happy to see those Japanese athletes," Hachimura told reporters. "They playing against them on one of the biggest stages in the world, so I’m just happy to see it and I’m proud of them.”

Game 1 of the NLDS is on Saturday, highlighted by Yamamoto's postseason debut as the Dodgers starting pitcher. Game 2 is on Sunday, where fans will get to watch Ohtani and Darvish face off.