The San Diego Padres are set to look very different in 2026. As a team with championship aspirations and a competitive roster, the Padres have had to watch their rival win back-to-back championships and three titles in six seasons. So, what will the Padres do in 2026? It’s still too early to tell.

One significant change for the Padres will be the absence of longtime veteran starting pitcher Yu Darvish. Darvish recently announced that he underwent Ulnar Collateral Ligament (UCL) surgery and will miss the entire 2026 season as he focuses on recovery. At 39 years old, Darvish missed most of this past season due to injury but aims to continue pitching in 2027 at the age of 41.

Speaking about his surgery, Darvish shared,
“Last Wednesday, I had surgery done by Dr. Meister to repair my flexor tendon and have an internal brace attached to my UCL. I will be working hard on my rehab to be able to throw a ball comfortably again.”

The Padres’ medical team provided further details on the procedure:
“Padres pitcher Yu Darvish underwent successful Ulnar Collateral Ligament repair surgery with an internal brace on his right elbow on Wednesday, October 29, President of Baseball Operations A.J. Preller announced today. The procedure was performed by Dr. Keith Meister in Arlington, Texas, and included flexor tendon repair. Darvish is expected to miss the entire 2026 season as the timeline for recovery is generally 12-15 months.”

As the Padres prepare for a challenging 2026 season without Darvish, fans will be eager to see how the roster evolves and who steps up to fill the void left by their veteran pitcher.
https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/san-diego-padres/padres-news-yu-darvish-undergoes-ucl-surgery-out-for-2026-season