The Padres are seriously pursuing former Rangers and current Cubs right-hander Yu Darvish on the trade market, the Athletic reported Monday.
Darvish, 34, is coming off a superb 2020 season in which he finished as the National League Cy Young runner-up after going 8-3 with a 2.01 ERA and 0.96 WHIP. News of the Padres and Cubs progressing deep on the Darvish discussions came a day after San Diego acquired ace left-hander Blake Snell from the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday night.
If the Cubs were to trade Darvish, it would mark a stark transition for the organization from prioritizing winning in 2021 to focusing on their longer-term future. Darvish has three years and $59 million left on a six-year, $126-million deal that he signed with the Cubs prior to the 2018 season.
It wasn't immediately clear whom the Cubs were seeking in return for Darvish, but Chicago has been seeking an infusion of younger, contract-controllable talent and notably needs more pitching.