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Ever since Yu Darvish made a rehab start with the South Bend Cubs on June 25, the updates haven’t been great. It started with the bad bullpen session in Los Angeles three days later that led to a trip to Dallas, where Darvish got a second opinion and a cortisone shot for right elbow impingement.
Since then, the Cubs haven’t been able to pinpoint a date for Darvish’s return, as pitching coach Jim Hickey first said Darvish could be back at the end of July at the earliest.
The very next day Theo Epstein said the Cubs weren’t putting a time table on Darvish’s return.
That was two weeks ago and as the trade deadline approaches, the Cubs still don’t really have a clear window as to when Darvish is coming back. At least they’re not revealing it to the public.
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The best we have is Hickey saying the following a few days ago on 670 The Score.
It’s expected to be “a number of weeks yet” before Darvish returns to game action for the Cubs, pitching coach Jim Hickey told Barry Rozner and Joe Ostrowski on 670 The Score on Thursday morning.
“It’s tough to say pitching in a major league game. But 10 to 14 days or so after playing catch, you end up getting on the mound, and then you would basically, based upon the time that you missed, you’d have to get on the mound a couple times. And then you’d have to build up to facing hitters, whether that was a live batting practice scenario (or something else). You’d have to do that a couple times. It’s based upon how much you want to see him when he returned. Obviously, it’s a little different for a relief pitcher than it is for a starter. But you’re still talking about a number of weeks yet, I’m sure.”
Sooooo basically the best estimate for Darvish to pitch for the Cubs is the middle of August after a couple rehab starts.
The Cubs have already traded for some bullpen depth in Jesse Chavez, but there should be another move coming after closer Brandon Morrow went on the DL a few days ago. He’s optimistic that the biceps inflammation isn’t serious, but regardless the Cubs will make another trade for a reliever.
Now, with the Darvish update we might see the Cubs make a deal for a starting pitcher too.
During the last two weeks the Cubs have been linked to starting pitchers Nathan Eovaldi, J.A. Happ and Dylan Bundy. And of course the Jacob deGrom speculation has been picking up steam as of late too.
So, right now Cubs fans will continue to wait on more Darvish info, who could be pitching batting practice next week in preparation for a rehab start. That would come maybe right before or right after the trade deadline.
