Yu Darvish Elbow Injury Diagnosed as Impingement, Will Rest for 3-5 Days

Chicago Cubs pitcher Yu Darvish has been diagnosed with right elbow impingement and inflammation, according to Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic.

Sharma noted that the right-hander received a cortisone shot and will let it sit for three to five days before deciding what's next. He has not pitched since May 20.

This is not the first time Darvish has dealt with injury concerns this season. He has already made two trips to the disabled list, once with flu-like symptoms and once with right triceps tendinitis. The right-hander also hit the DL in 2017 with back tightness, and he underwent Tommy John surgery back in 2015.

As the injuries continue to pile up, Chicago has to be worried about its $126 million investment.

With sub-4.00 ERAs in each of his first five seasons and an 11.0 strikeouts-per-nine rate in his career, Darvish, 31, was a highly sought-after free agent last offseason. The Cubs ended up winning the sweepstakes for the supposed front-of-the-rotation arm.

However, the deal has not gotten off to a great start. Not only has he been hampered by injuries, but Darvish has also struggled on the mound. He is 1-3 with a 4.95 ERA and 1.43 WHIP and 49 strikeouts in eight starts. 

As long as Jon Lester and Kyle Hendricks are healthy, the Cubs have veteran starters who can lead the rotation. Jose Quintana showed plenty of potential during his time with the Chicago White Sox, and Tyler Chatwood was signed to an eight-figure deal to provide quality innings at the back end of the rotation. Plus, Joe Maddon has the luxury of turning to Mike Montgomery to fill in when needed.

Chicago is looking to make its fourth consecutive trip to the postseason, and Darvish was expected to be a big part of the team's quest to win its second championship in three seasons. Fortunately for the Cubs, they have solid depth throughout the rotation to help overcome Darvish's injury.