Yu Darvish was shocked when the Chicago Cubs traded him to the San Diego Padres last week.
"With what's happening with the coronavirus, and the money the Cubs have, I wasn't thinking about being traded," Darvish said through an interpreter. "And also, they are a winning team and I thought we would be able to compete."
However, Darvish is excited about joining a "strong" Padres team that should challenge for the National League pennant.
"I've been having my kids watch highlights of the Padres' lineup on YouTube," the right-hander said. "They're a strong team, and I'm really excited to watch batting practice."