Five-Time All-Star Will Attempt to Reach a Significant Milestone Saturday

Yu Darvish One Win Shy of 200

Darvish’s work ethic and love for baseball is a good combination to make him a role model for the other Padres pitchers. In his last start, Darvish earned this third win of the season over the Los Angeles Dodgers. He fired seven shutout innings and allowing two hits and a walk with seven strikeouts. Darvish extended his scoreless innings streak to 17 innings in another dominant start since returning from the injured list on April 30. He retired the first 14 hitters he faced in order until walking Andy Pages with two outs in the fifth. Darvish put up 19 whiffs as he owns a 2.43 ERA, 0.981 WHIP and 37:12 K:BB in 40 2/3 innings.

Other Milestones Darvish Has Achieved

It was last season on August 15 that Darvish passed Nomo for the top spot in MLB’s strikeouts by a pitcher born in Japan. His sixth and final strikeout was carer No. 1,919, moving into sole possession of first place. Coincidentally, Nomo works for the Padres as an adviser in the baseball operations department. Nomo was on hand to witness the accomplishment of Darvish.

“I remember watching him on television when I was a kid, and we all know how great of a pitcher he is,” Darvish said through Japanese interpreter Shingo Horie. “So just being able to be in his league, it means a lot.”

Darvish and Nomo have more in common than just wins and strikeouts. Both of them are the only two pitchers to record 3,000 professional strikeouts with at least 1,000 apiece in MLB and Japan.

Darvish’s 100th MLB Win

Prior to surpassing Nomo, Darvish’s 100th win made him the seventh player to notch win No. 100 while pitching for the Padres. He was the first pitcher since Shawn Estes to reach the milestone with San Diego. It wasn’t the most dominant start, allowing four runs over 5 1/3 innings with six strikeouts.