SURPRISE, Ariz. – Should he have any questions or doubts during the spring as he completes his rehabilitation from Tommy John elbow surgery, all Yu Darvish needs to do is turn to the fellow in the locker next to his.
Left-hander Martin Perez was in a similar position last year, a couple of months behind where Darvish is now, and would willingly share the lessons learned from his recovery.
Or Darvish could consult with new Texas Rangers pitching coach Doug Brocail, who had the operation twice during his 15-year major league career.
There is no shortage of information at Darvish’s disposal as he works his way back from the March 17, 2015 procedure, which sidelined him for all of last season. Looking fit and healthy in the Rangers clubhouse Friday, after throwing 25 pitches off a half-mound in his third bullpen session of the spring, Darvish said the recovery is going better than he expected.
Nonetheless, he’s resisting the temptation of accelerating the process, which tentatively has him on schedule to return to the majors by late May or early June. His next step is to throw off a full mound, likely early next week.
“When I first decided to have the Tommy John surgery, I heard a lot of stories of guys trying to do too much when they were feeling good,’’ Darvish said through interpreter Hide Sato. “So I know that, even though I feel really good, I have to stick with the team’s plan.’’
Darvish’s return could mark the end of a brutal stretch of injuries to the Rangers’ pitching staff, which was decimated by ailments in 2014 and 2015 but still contributed to the club’s surprising American League West title last year.
Texas missed starters Darvish, Perez, Derek Holland (shoulder) and Nick Tepesch (elbow) for at least half the games last season, a year after Perez, Holland and Alexi Ogando (elbow) were sidelined for extended stretches.
The loss of Darvish was especially painful because the Japanese right-hander had established himself as one of the majors’ top pitchers, earning All-Star recognition in each of his three seasons and leading the AL with 277 strikeouts in 2013.
At 29, there’s every reason to believe Darvish will regain his old form, even if he doesn’t look exactly the same.
“I think the mechanics are going to be different before surgery and after surgery,’’ Darvish said, “but I’m working hard through this process to show I have better mechanics than before.’’
He has already impressed Brocail, hired in November to replace the highly regarded Mike Maddux, now with the Washington Nationals. Even more than the velocity of Darvish’s pitches, Brocail marvels at the consistency of his delivery, especially after the long layoff.
“It’s the exact same every single time,’’ said Brocail, who stands 6-5 like Darvish. “You look at Yu Darvish and you go, ‘God, one time I would have liked to have been able to repeat like he repeats.’ He puts himself in great position, the hand and the head work together, he’s connected.’’
With the likes of Nick Martinez and Chi Chi Gonzalez competing for the fifth spot, the Rangers have plenty of depth in the rotation to withstand Darvish’s absence. Their core four of Cole Hamels, Colby Lewis, Perez and Holland could be a major strength if the latter two can return to their standards of 2013, when they combined for 337 1/3 innings, 20 wins and a 3.50 ERA.
That was Perez’s rookie season, and at 22 he showed signs he might turn into something special, winning six consecutive starts with a 2.76 ERA at one point, before the elbow problems sidelined him the next year. Perez returned from his surgery by mid-July of last year but struggled to find his release point and went 3-6 with a 4.46 ERA in 14 starts.
He feels 100 percent now after having a normal offseason and has words of wisdom for Darvish.
“What I can tell him from my experience is not to lose patience, and to forget about us for now and just focus on his rehab and on getting ready to help the team win when he returns to the big leagues,’’ Perez said.
Darvish does not need to assume the role of staff ace when he comes back, given the presence of Hamels, acquired in a July 31 trade. Hamels is enjoying the benefit of having a full spring training with his teammates after being thrown into the playoff race at midseason last year, and he looks forward to being in the same rotation with Darvish.
“He’s got a different plan and you want him to be at the top of his game when he comes back,’’ Hamels said, “because to be able to have another person of that stature, it’s fun to have that great competition within the staff to push each other to another level.’’
