Major League Baseball’s hot stove has been disappointingly lukewarm this offseason. So, Yu Darvish is taking it upon himself to stir the pot.
A report surfaced Wednesday that Darvish, arguably the best starting pitcher on the free agent market, had narrowed his list of preferred teams down to five: the Houston Astros, Chicago Cubs, New York Yankees, Minnesota Twins and Texas Rangers.
Well, turns out there’s a sixth team — according to Darvish himself.
I know one more team is in. https://t.co/exxubGP7Qo
— ダルビッシュ有(Yu Darvish) (@faridyu) January 11, 2018
How’s that for intrigue?
Darvish, of course, didn’t reveal the name of that team, but we don’t need Sherlock Holmes to solve this mystery. The Los Angeles Dodgers nabbed the Japanese right-hander from the Texas Rangers just minutes before the 2017 trade deadline, and while he struggled in the postseason, he was solid down the stretch, posting a 4-3 record with a 3.44 ERA over nine starts in L.A.
Darvish won’t come cheap, but the Dodgers have deep pockets, and you have to think they’re at least in the mix to bring him back next season. Andy McCullough of the Los Angeles Times agrees.
Yes, my understanding is the Dodgers are still in the mix, despite the financial hurdles. https://t.co/9FancGItI4
— Andy McCullough (@ByMcCullough) January 11, 2018
Of course, adding L.A. to the fold only makes predicting Darvish’s next destination more challenging. Can you give us another clue, Yu?
