MLB: Yu Darvish heads to Texas for opinion on sore triceps muscle

Yu Darvish went to Texas to get another opinion on the sore triceps muscle that flared up again in a bullpen session on Thursday.

The setback ended plans for the right-hander’s return to the Chicago Cubs rotation this weekend.

Darvish was scheduled to consult with Dr. Keith Meister, an orthopedic surgeon who is one of the Texas Rangers team physicians, the Cubs said. The 31-year-old Darvish broke into the majors with the Rangers and pitched for them from 2012 until he was traded to the Dodgers in July 2017.

On Friday, manager Joe Maddon said there’s no timetable for Darvish’s return.

“We’d love to have him out there pitching but it’s not going to happen,” Maddon said before the Cubs hosted the Minnesota Twins. “I don’t know exactly when it’s going to happen.”

Darvish said his strength and endurance was good after he played catch on Wednesday while the Cubs were in Los Angeles. He threw a five-inning, 57-pitch rehab start with Class A South Bend on Monday.

But Darvish suffered a setback in his bullpen session on Thursday at Dodger Stadium.

Maddon said it was “easy” to tell something was wrong with the righty and that he wasn’t using “a normal throwing stroke.”

“I watched his workout yesterday and you could tell that something wasn’t appropriate or right,” Maddon said. “So we had to take it to this next level and be patient with it.”

Chris Gimenez, who caught Darvish in the bullpen, said, “You could tell he wasn’t feeling the greatest.”

Darvish had been scheduled to start Saturday against the Twins, but will be replaced by Tyler Chatwood, who came off the paternity list.

Darvish signed a $126 million, six-year free-agent deal with the Cubs in February, but is just 1-3 with a 4.95 ERA in eight starts. He didn’t earn his first win until May 20 in Cincinnati, his final start before going on the disabled list on May 26 with tendinitis in his right triceps.

Darvish had Tommy John surgery in March 2015, and returned on May 28, 2016.

Yankees’ Masahiro Tanaka throws 3 innings in simulated game

New York Yankees right-hander Masahiro Tanaka has thrown 48 pitches over three innings in his first simulated game since being sidelined three weeks by a strained right and left hamstring.

Tanaka faced minor leaguers Friday at the Yankees’ spring training complex in Tampa, Florida. He struck out four during the hitless outing.

When asked how it went, Tanaka said “very good” in English.

“I was able to throw with force and use all my pitches,” Tanaka added through a translator “So, I feel good about it.”

He was 7-2 with a 4.58 ERA in 13 starts before getting hurt June 8 while running the bases in a game against the New York Mets.

Tanaka doesn’t know his next step. It’s possibly a minor league rehab game next week and rejoining the Yankees before the All-Star break in mid-July.