Rangers’ Darvish: ‘I could throw 95 right now’

The most important thing Yu Darvish said Tuesday afternoon came in response to a question about any concerns with his right elbow going forward.

“I have no problems at all right now. I have no concerns,” Darvish said through a translator. “I feel like I could throw 95 right now.”

Another translation: Watch out, American League.

But the gathering with Darvish and six beat writers who follow the Texas Rangers, the first with the right-hander in several months, was perhaps the most revealing since he came to the major leagues.

His health updates weren’t limited to just the elbow that Dr. James Andrews rebuilt March 17. The Tommy John surgery apparently has affected Darvish from head to toe and between the ears.

Saying he feels stronger in every way imaginable, including mentally, Darvish was more animated and at ease than ever before when surrounded by media.

He cracked jokes, spoke with his hands, leaned back in his chair, and even responded when asked about the crimes committed by his brother and the ensuing investigation by Major League Baseball that cleared Darvish of any wrongdoing.

The biggest development, aside from what he believes he could do to a radar gun, was that the injury that cost him all of the 2015 season has reignited his passion for baseball.

He can’t wait to take the mound again, but he understands that he he’ll have to wait.

“For 10 years I’ve been throwing in my career,” Darvish said. “Sometimes throwing in the 10 years, it’s kind of like it became routine and I wasn’t enjoying it as much as I used to when I first starting my career. Having that time [off], I feel like I’m enjoying throwing the ball more right now. ...

“What I’m trying to do is come back in April. But I want to take my time. I don’t want to rush myself. It may take even longer than the team might think, but I’ll do everything I can do.”

His throwing schedule for spring training is fluid, but it’s Darvish’s plan to start throwing bullpen sessions in March and to return to the Rangers’ active roster in mid-May to early June.

That’s the timeline the Rangers have been laying out for Darvish this off-season.

His throwing program covers six days, with Sunday the lone off day. Darvish is long-tossing, currently at 120 feet, Monday, Wednesday and Friday and throwing off flat ground at 60 to 75 feet Tuesday and Thursday. Saturday consists of light throwing.

Within his 20 to 25 throws off flat ground, he is mixing in cutters, two-seamers and changeups. He isn’t sure when he will begin to throw sliders and curveballs, but that typically is one of the last steps in the road back from Tommy John.

“At home I’m throwing a lot of sliders,” Darvish said, jokingly.

Darvish was injured last spring after one inning of his first and only spring start. He was diagnosed with a torn ulnar collateral ligament and underwent reconstructive surgery March 17.

The three-time All-Star would do his rehab under the watchful eye of Dr. Keith Meister and his staff at TMI Sports Medicine, where he met Tuesday with reporters. Darvish would show up for games and watched as the Rangers rallied to the AL West title without him.

He doesn’t think that he would have made a difference had he been available for the division series, a loss to Toronto after a gut-wrenching Game 5 loss in which shortstop Elvis Andrus committed two errors to jump-start the Blue Jays’ decisive seventh-inning rally.

“I felt bad for him,” Darvish said.

He also watched as Prince Fielder returned from a major neck operation in 2014 to become the AL’s Comeback Player of the Year. Fielder spoke of how much he missed the game while injured, and Darvish can relate.

He also promised to use the time to improve himself, and, judging by what he said and how he acted Tuesday, he has a different perspective on himself.

“During the time I was doing rehab, I had time to see myself again,” Darvish said. “I was limiting myself because I was getting so much attention. Sometimes I was limiting myself too much. Now, I’m enjoying baseball, and the way I’m seeing things is different from the experience I had the past season.”

And he still expects to throw 95.

“I do actually envision myself back on the mound,” Darvish said. “I always imagine how hard can how throw and how much better I can be on the mound. I’m very excited when I picture me back on the mound.”

This story was originally published February 9, 2016 at 5:10 PM with the headline "Rangers’ Darvish: ‘I could throw 95 right now’."