Washington Has “Father-Son Talk” With Yu Darvish

Rangers starter Yu Darvish had yet another rough outing on Monday night in Boston, going 6 2/3 innings, surrendering 11 hits, four walks and six runs in a 9-2 loss. The performance brought his record to a pedestrian 11-8, and his ERA to a pedestrian 4.57, and stands as just the latest in a string of bad starts for the 25-year-old.

Darvish has given up 23 hits, 19 runs (though only 18 have been earned) and 13 walks over his last three outings, a stretch that prompted Rangers’ manager Ron Washington to have a sit-down with the American League All-Star prior to Wednesday’s match-up with Boston.

“I had Yu up in here just to check in. The last time I checked in we were in San Francisco,” Washington said on ESPN Radio 103.3 FM today, via ESPN Dallas. “And, I just wanted to check in today and to have almost like a father-son talk and find out where his state of mind is, let him know where my state of mind is, and just move forward. I just want him to be comfortable.”

Washington came away from the chat encouraged by what he heard out of Darvish.

"He’s finally relaxed and feeling like he can just go out there and be Yu Darvish and not worry about the results,” Washington said. “I think we are about to see something special the rest of the way here. I don’t know when it’s going to click in, but it’s going to click in.”