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Chicago Cubs starter Yu Darvish continued his run of good performances in the second half on Thursday afternoon against the San Diego Padres, striking out 14 and giving up just two hits in six scoreless innings.
Darvish became the first pitcher since Kerry Wood (1998) to post at least 14 K's in a scoreless outing for the Cubs:
Yu Darvish struck out 14 batters without allowing a run today.
The only @Cubs pitcher in the Live-Ball era (since 1920) to strike out more in a scoreless start was Kerry Wood in his 20-K game in 1998. pic.twitter.com/DAovc4Vfuk
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) September 12, 2019
The 33-year-old was dialed in all afternoon, mixing a lively four-seamer with a sharp cutter and a breaking ball that totally dropped off the shelf.
Darvish has had so much success since the All-Star break in part because of his ability to throw any pitch in any count. He repeatedly fooled the likes of Luis Urias and Ty France by dropping in curveballs and cutters for strikes even when the hitters were ahead in the count, and he kept the Friars off balance all day.
After a tumultuous start to his 2019 campaign, Darvish has settled in as the most dominant pitcher in Chicago's pitching staff. Although he only ranked 24th in fWAR in the second half prior to his start on Thursday, Darvish's 2.69 ERA ranked 12th during that span while he also ranked fourth in xFIP and third in SIERA.
Darvish has also completely changed the narrative of his season. He struggled with command issues in April and May, but in the second half (entering play on Thursday) Darvish boasts a 19.75 strikeout-to-walk ratio, the best in the major leagues in that stretch.
The Cubs find themselves scratching and clawing just to hold onto a playoff spot.
With the Cardinals and Brewers also winning on Thursday, Chicago remains four games back of St. Louis in the National League Central and in a tie with Milwaukee for the second Wild Card spot.
