Darvish gets $90M from Padres to stay through ’28
Yu Darvish has agreed to a new contract with the San Diego Padres that guarantees the 36-yearold ace an additional $90 million and will keep him with the club through the 2028 season, a person with direct knowledge of the deal said Thursday.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal hadn’t been announced.
The right-hander, who has a baffling array of pitches, will make $108 million over six years, including the $18 million he was already due in 2023 before he was set to become a free agent. He’s set to stay under contract with San Diego until he’s 42.
Darvish helped the Padres reach the NL Championship Series last season, which was one of the best in his 11-year big league career. He finished the year 16-8 with a 3.10 ERA and 197 strikeouts. He was 2-1 in the postseason.
Darvish was traded by the Cubs to the Padres in 2020.
The deal is the latest by the free-spending Padres. Darvish heads a rotation that also includes hometown product Joe Musgrove, who signed a $100 million, fiveyear deal in July. They signed shortstop Xander Bogaerts to a $280 million, 11-year deal in December even though Fernando Tatis Jr. will be eligible to return April 20 from an 80-game suspension after testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug. Tatis will move to the outfield.
There could be more big spending ahead for the Padres, who are still seeking their first World Series championship. All-Star third baseman Manny Machado can opt out of his $300 million, 10-year deal after the* 2023 season and the Padres would like to have him finish his career in San Diego. Machado finished second in balloting for NL MVP last year.
Angels owner optimistic about re-signing Ohtani: Angels owner Arte Moreno, who had not spoken to the media in any detail in nearly three years, told the New York Post on Wednesday that he would like to re-sign Shohei Ohtani, and he believes it’s an achievable goal.
“I’d like to say we have as good a chance as anybody,” Moreno told the Post outside of the MLB owners’ meetings in West Palm Beach, Fla.
Projections for the next contract for the Angels’ twoway superstar have indicated a deal worth $500 million or more, which would surpass the record $426 million deal the Angels gave Mike Trout in 2019.
“Economically we’re usually in the top 10, so it’s not out of the question,” said Moreno, who last month announced he was no longer trying to sell the team.
This year the Angels have already committed to about $206 million in major league salaries, which would be a franchise record. They currently have the seventh-highest payroll in the majors. That includes $30 million for Ohtani in his final year before free agency.
Ohtani, 28, has said little about his future status with the Angels beyond saying that he likes the people with the Angels, but he’s frustrated that the team has not been able to win. The Angels have not had a winning record in any of Ohtani’s five seasons despite him winning the 2021 American League MVP award and being the runner-up in 2022.