One last bit from today before the Cubs get back to real baseball against the Pirates.
Yu Darvish, who is going through a very deliberate rehab process for his elbow issues, moved up his bullpen session to 35 pitches today, and unlike the last one – you know, the one that featured 10 pitches of “severe” pain before a mechanical adjustment – this one was apparently great the whole way through.
Yu Darvish said it's the best he's felt in two months after throwing 35 pitches in the bullpen on Tuesday. If he feels good moving forward he'll throw a longer session in a few days then move on to simulated games and/or a rehab stint. It's the first… https://t.co/OHuizpPjGW
— Jesse Rogers (@ESPNChiCubs) July 31, 2018
Darvish threw 35 pitches in pen. All pitches. Said first time in process he felt no pain or discomfort. "I'm really excited."
— Gordon Wittenmyer (@GDubCub) July 31, 2018
Step in the right direction: Yu Darvish, through a translator, says today was the first time in two months that he felt "nothing" in his right elbow from the first warm-up throw to the last pitch in his bullpen session.
— Patrick Mooney (@PJ_Mooney) July 31, 2018
That is all just so very good. Obviously there’s also the “next day” caveat, but assuming he still feels good tomorrow and Thursday, he might throw another long bullpen on Friday or Saturday – by my estimate – and then his next session could be a simulated game against live batters. It’s *possible.*