MLB Investigating Potential Yu Darvish Ties to Brother's Gambling Ring

Yu Darvish may soon have bigger problems than his recovery from Tommy John surgery. The Texas Rangers righty could find himself in some pretty hot water, as Major League Baseball has confirmed a probe into his ties to a Japanese gambling ring.

Darvish’s brother Sho was charged with running an illegal betting ring last year, and reportedly took bets on MLB and Nippon Professional Baseball Organization games.

Sho Darvish was arrested by Osaka police on October 27th after an investigation that lasted more than a year. He was charged in mid-November with taking around 1,850 wagers on baseball games in Japan and the United States. This isn’t Sho’s first run-in with the law, he was also given a suspended jail sentence for assaulting a female friend in 2012.

Yu Darvish has been one of baseball’s best pitchers since landing stateside back in 2012. In three seasons he has posted a 39-25 record, with a 3.27 ERA and 1.20 WHIP. He also led the American League in strikeouts during the 2013 season with 277 in 209.2 innings. Darvish missed the entire 2015 season while recovering from reconstructive surgery on his pitching elbow.

While a probe into Darvish’s activities doesn’t mean he was involved, it’s certainly an unwanted distraction. As we have seen from its still-contentious relationship with Pete Rose, MLB has no tolerance for gambling on the sport. This story will be worth monitoring.