Is it Time to Shut Down Yu Darvish?

I watch and root for the Texas Rangers whether they are going to finish 100-62 or 62-100, which it appears they are headed for in 2014. I am pretty sure most of you guys do too. We are fans of the team no matter the outcome of the season, although it is a little more enjoyable when they are on top of the American League. One of the great things about watching Rangers baseball this season is been watching Yu Darvish pitch. He is a master at the craft of pitching and has been on top of his game for most of the season, even though his team has not been backing him up.

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Yu Darvish is a great pitcher and I would like him to continue to be, just maybe not this season. My opinion is it may be time for the Texas Rangers to shut him down for the season. The season is lost and the last thing that this franchise needs is for the best pitcher on the team to go down to an injury in late August or early September and lose him for the 2015 campaign. I am not saying that I think this is going to happen, I am just saying what I would be considering if I were in charge.

His ERA has been climbing each month since May (2.10, 2.51, 4.66, 4.91), his opponents batting average has been rising (.185, .233, 2.88, .283), his OBP has been on the rise (.254, .309,  .323, .365) he gave up a .551 slugging percentage in July, and last night he looked like something was wrong with him. (all stats via baseball reference).

Yu Darvish is one of my favorite players to watch, and one of my favorite Texas Rangers, but it is just not worth injuring a guy who is obviously your franchise pitcher for a season where you are headed for 100 losses. My opinion would be to shut him down, let him rest his arm and begin his preparations for the 2015 season. We all know that this will not happen, Yu Darvish is too big a competitor and the Rangers too much pride to pull a move like this, but if he does get injured, well that just might be the worst thing that happens to the Texas Rangers in 2014, and that is saying something!