So you're saying there's a chance?
Former Texas Rangers ace Yu Darvish sent a tweet Wednesday night that could jolt the rumor mill into action.
It started with an Instagram photo he posted of a holiday wreath -- festive, but relatively pedestrian -- at his Dallas home. His caption, written in Japanese, made reference to Christmas season arriving, it being cold in Dallas and wishing good health to his followers.
γγε°γγ§γ―γͺγΉγγΉγ§γγγΌγ
— γγ«γγγ·γ₯ζ(Yu Darvish) (@faridyu) December 7, 2017
γγ©γΉγε―γγͺγ£γ¦γγΎγγγ ηζ§γδ½θͺΏγ«ζ°γγ€γγ¦γγ γγ^_^ ε ΄ζ: Dallas, Texashttps://www.instagram.com/p/BcY4aPcD12J/
Rangers reporter Emily Jones McCoy engaged in a lighthearted exchange with the star pitcher, eventually saying she's "not giving up on [an] English interview." (Darvish was largely shielded from the local media during his time in Texas, speaking only through an interpreter at team-designated times).
"If I sign with the Rangers, I'll do it next spring training," Darvish wrote.
"If I sign with the @Rangers"@faridyu teasing fans in Texas on Twitter π pic.twitter.com/UnzbEk7Xpk
— Landon Haaf (@LandonHaaf) December 7, 2017
Darvish, of course, was a Ranger from 2012 until the trade deadline last season, when he was dealt to the Los Angeles Dodgers. He recorded the fourth-most strikeouts in Rangers franchise history despite missing all of 2015 and a portion of 2016 following Tommy John surgery.
Both Darvish and Rangers GM Jon Daniels were mum on a potential offseason return in Darvish's farewell press conference.
“It’s hard to comment on any of that right now. We’re just gonna have to wait and see until we get to the offseason,” Darvish said through his interpreter on July 31. “For example, if the Rangers offered me very low money, I’m not going to sign. I think I’m going to talk to all the teams available who are willing to talk to me and see what happens.”
Daniels said he wasn't "ready to spell out the team's offseason plan."
“We very well could [sign Darvish]," he said. "He checks a lot of the boxes that we’re looking for, but right now he’s going to be with the Dodgers and I wish him well there.”'
Darvish rather infamously tweeted a photo of himself by his Rangers locker just 10 minutes before the 3 p.m. CST deadline. A deal was agreed upon in those final 10 minutes that sent Darvish to L.A. in exchange for top infield prospect Willie Calhoun, pitcher A.J. Alexy and infielder Brendon Davis.
Darvish’s first big league contract -- a six-year, $60 million deal signed after the Rangers won the international bid in 2012 -- was up at the end of the 2017 season.
The Japanese-Iranian star went 4-3 with a 3.44 ERA down the stretch for the Dodgers, but lost two World Series games in which he failed to make it out of the second inning.
A down year for Darvish -- a 10-12 combined record and a 3.86 ERA -- may knock a fraction off his market value this offseason, but he'll likely still command $20 million or more per year in free agency.
For anyone who felt like they were missing out on Yu's holiday wreath, here you go π
A post shared by Yu Darvish (@darvishsefat11) on
