MESA, Ariz. (670 The Score) -- After suffering a blister early in the week on throwing hand, Cubs right-hander Yu Darvish declared himself good to go for the new season after a start against Rockies minor leaguers Sunday.
"I am ready," said Darvish, who hasn't started a big league game since last May 20.
Darvish wore a bandage in throwing 71 pitches and navigating 4 2/3 innings Sunday. He will throw a side session Thursday -- the same day Chicago opens the regular season at Texas -- and do so without a bandage, as MLB rules don't allow pitchers to have anything on their hands that could alter the natural flow of a pitch.
"The slider was good today," Darvish said. "The cutter was good too. Next bullpen, I want to throw without band-aids. I can 't throw with the bandage in the opening series."
The Cubs haven't announced the rotation order outside of left-hander Jon Lester starting Opening Day, though Darvish indicated he's slated to pitch the second game of the season, which comes Saturday after an off-day Friday.
Darvish made just eight starts in an injury-plagued 2018, when he posted a 4.95 ERA after signing a six-year, $126-million deal. He had an arthroscopic debridement procedure in his throwing elbow in September.
Bruce Levine covers the Cubs and White Sox for 670 The Score. Follow him on Twitter @MLBBruceLevine.
