How Yu Darvish could recruit Roki Sasaki for the Padres
New York TimesAs spring training opened in February, Yu Darvish expressed both disappointment and understanding regarding a pair of blockbuster additions to the National League West. “Frankly speaking, it would have been nice if they came here, if they were my teammates,” Darvish said from the Padres’ complex in Peoria, Ariz. “But I’m happy for them. Pitching phenom Roki Sasaki will be posted in the near future, and Darvish, a godfather-like figure among active Japanese players, is said to badly want the young right-hander as his teammate. Darvish pitched only six innings, but he attended Samurai Japan’s entire training camp, mentored Sasaki and other WBC teammates, and served as a steadying presence throughout an undefeated run to the tournament championship. Perhaps fond memories from that tournament will push Sasaki toward a reunion — either with Darvish or with Yamamoto and Ohtani, who flung the final strike of the WBC past Mike Trout.
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With their season on the line, the Padres will turn to steadfast veteran Yu Darvish
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