CHICAGO (AP) — Even though it meant a premature end to his first season in Chicago Wade Boggs Jersey , Yu Darvish said Thursday that he was relieved when an MRI revealed a stress reaction in his right elbow.“At first, I was told it was a simple tightness, but I always knew there was something else other than the tightness,” Darvish said through a translator before the Cubs played the Reds at Wrigley Field.“With the diagnosis, I’m relieved to know what that something is.”Darvish has been sidelined since late May with what was at first diagnosed as triceps and elbow injuries. The Cubs were hoping to get the veteran right-hander back for the final month of the season, but Darvish left a rehab start Sunday with Single-A South Bend after one inning and 18 pitches, complaining of elbow pain. He had an MRI the next day.“I know what it’s like, tightness in the triceps area,” he said. “In the four to five weeks of the rehab process, the pain remained.”The 32-year-old Darvish signed a six-year, $126 million contract with the Cubs as a free agent last offseason. The big contract and his performance this season before the injury — 1-3 with a 4.95 ERA in eight starts — didn’t earn him the benefit of the doubt with fans. Neither did his struggles in the World Series last season while pitching for the Dodgers (0-2 with a 21.60 ERA in two starts).Writing in an emotional blog post earlier in the week, the Japanese player acknowledged that the criticism affected him.“Every morning when I woke up, I would pray http://www.redsoxpro...ton-fisk-jersey , ‘I have to throw today, please let there be no pain.’ Those were very gloomy days,” Darvish wrote. “Meanwhile, the atmosphere around me had become, ‘Is he faking an injury?’ ‘Is it a mental problem?’ Those words made it extremely difficult for me to stop and rest, and it really took a toll on me emotionally.”Darvish said Thursday that the failure of doctors to initially discover a significant injury caused him to doubt himself.“Until the diagnosis, there were times when I thought it could be my mental side,” he said.Darvish said he was told that six weeks of rest should clear up the problem — no surgery is planned — and he is expected to be healthy for the start of spring training.He was asked if he’s looking forward to next season.“It’s really hard to think about next year at this point,” he said. “Right now, all I can do is do what’s best for my arm.” LOS ANGELES (AP) — It’s fitting that Russell Martin is returning to the Los Angeles Dodgers.He’s pining for a World Series title, too.The Dodgers reacquired Martin in a trade with Toronto on Friday, receiving the veteran catcher in exchange for a couple minor leaguers. Los Angeles has won two straight National League pennants but lost each time in the World Series. Martin has never even played in a World Series in 13 seasons with the Dodgers, Yankees Pedro Martinez Jersey , Pirates and Blue Jays.“I’m looking for a championship,” Martin said. “I’ve never won a championship, and I’m still hungry for that.”The Dodgers also reached one-year deals with their seven remaining arbitration-eligible players. The NL champions agreed with Corey Seager ($4 million), Joc Pederson ($5 million), Chris Taylor ($3.5 million), Enrique Hernandez ($3,725,000), Pedro Baez ($2.1 million), Josh Fields ($2.85 million) and Yimi Garcia ($710,000) on 2019 contracts.With catcher Yasmani Grandal leaving for a deal with Milwaukee earlier in the week, the Dodgers had room to bring back Martin.Whether they’re done looking at catchers, including a trade for Miami’s J.T. Realmuto http://www.redsoxpro...-ramirez-jersey , team executive Andrew Friedman wouldn’t commit.“Our focus is still and will always be on how we can continue to improve and make ourselves better,” the club’s president of baseball operations said. “That remains our mindset in every respect.”The Dodgers sent minor leaguers Andrew Sopko, a right-hander, and Ronny Brito, an infielder, to the Blue Jays. Toronto will send $16.4 million to Los Angeles by Sept. 1, offsetting most of the $20 million Martin is owed in the final season of his contract.A four-time All-Star, Martin was with the Dodgers from 2006-10 and helped lead Los Angeles to three playoff appearances.“He was really excited about it,” Friedman said. “LA holds a special place in his heart. He wants to win a championship and he talked about how he’ll do anything you guys want.”Friedman said he’s not sure how playing time will be divided between Austin Barnes and Martin.“We really like what they bring behind the plate in terms of their receiving and game calling and the work they’ve put in to prepare for a game,” he said.Last winter the Dodgers brought outfielder Matt Kemp back to the team and he had a strong first half to earn an All-Star berth before being traded last month.Now it’s Martin’s turn.“We’re excited about bringing Russell on board,” Friedman said. “Kind of coming full circle for him. He is still really good at what he does behind the plate, a grinder at the plate. I feel like he will team up with Austin to be a really good duo behind the plate.”The 35-year-old Canadian signed with the New York Yankees as a free agent after the 2010 season and spent two seasons in the Bronx before playing two seasons with Pittsburgh and four with Toronto.He started 71 games at catcher and 21 at third base last year, hitting .194 with 10 home runs and 35 RBIs.“I don’t want this to be my last year Bill Lee Jersey , so coming off a year where I felt like I kind of underperformed, especially offensively, I was a little bit disappointed statistically on how I performed,” Martin said. “So I’m looking for a bounce-back year.”The Blue Jays bid farewell to Martin in a tweet : “For your leadership. For your passion. For representing Canada’s Team. Thank you, Russ.”In a tweet of his own , Martin thanked the Blue Jays for the opportunity to play in his home country.Toronto reached deals with outfielder Randal Grichuk at $5 million, outfielder Kevin Pillar at $5.8 million and right-hander Aaron Sanchez at $3.9 million. The Blue Jays also avoided arbitration with second baseman Devon Travis ($1,925,000), third baseman Brandon Drury ($1.3 million) and right-handers Marcus Stroman ($7.4 million), Joe Biagini ($900,000) and Ken Giles ($6.3 million).The Blue Jays swapped figures with right-hander Ryan Tepera: He asked for $1.8 million, and the team offered $1 Xander Bogaerts Jersey ,525,000.Martin was a 17th-round pick by the Dodgers in the 2002 amateur draft. His teams have made the postseason nine times in 13 years.Sopko, 24, is 27-17 with a 3.61 ERA in four seasons. Brito, 19, signed with the Dodgers as an international free agent from the Dominican Republic on July 2, 2015. In three seasons, he has hit .259 with 15 homers and 104 RBIs.Seager was eligible for arbitration for the first time this winter. He played just 26 games before being shut down for Tommy John surgery and arthroscopic hip surgery for a labrum repair. The Dodgers believe the shortstop will be ready for opening day.Pederson proved a solid leadoff hitter, batting .309, but he struggled against left-handed pitching with just nine hits and one homer in 53 at-bats versus southpaws.Taylor started at four different positions last season, including shortstop in Seager’s absence. He had career highs in doubles, triples and walks.
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CHICAGO (AP) — Even though it meant a premature end to his first season in Chicago
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