Yu Darvish dominates Mets in 7-inning debut for Dodgers

NEW YORK -- You might think a team with the best record in the majors, in the midst of one of the most dominant 50-game stretches in major league history, would be reluctant about acquiring a new pitcher, even an All-Star such as Yu Darvish.

Not the case.

The Dodgers players were flying from San Francisco to Atlanta on Monday afternoon when they heard about the trade with the Rangers for Darvish.

"Everyone was excited," closer Kenley Jansen said before Friday night's game against the Mets at Citi Field. "Our goal is to win the World Series; ownership wants to win the World Series, so we're all happy to have him here and see him pitch."

Darvish made his Dodgers debut Friday night wearing No. 21 instead of the No. 11 he wore with the Rangers, and he showed why the L.A. front office wanted to add him even though the rotation leads the majors with a 3.18 ERA. Darvish went seven innings, allowing no runs on three hits with 10 strikeouts and one walk in the Dodgers' 6-0 victory. Sixty-eight of his 99 pitches were strikes.

Darvish became the first Dodgers pitcher since 1900 to have at least 10 strikeouts and no more than one walk in his first start with the team, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he "enjoyed the show."

"I got a big hug from Yu after his outing," Roberts said. "He's already blending in with the other players and you can just see the joy."

Darvish survived a shaky, 18-pitch first inning. Michael Conforto lined the first pitch, a 94 mph fastball, into right field for a single; Jay Bruce walked with one out; and Yoenis Cespedes just missed a three-run home run, a fly ball to the warning track in left-center. Darvish ended the inning by reaching above his head to snag Curtis Granderson's liner.

"I wasn't worried about being with the Dodgers in my first outing," Darvish said. "I gave up 10 runs in my last game, so there was a little nervousness just coming back from that."

Darvish worked around a leadoff single by Mets starter Jacob deGrom in the third inning, recording two strikeouts and inducing an infield popup, and escaped the fifth after Amed Rosario led off with a single, striking out Conforto swinging on a 95 mph fastball above the letters to strand Rosario at third.

Darvish cruised through a 1-2-3 sixth and a 1-2-3 seventh and retired the final nine batters he faced, striking out Rosario on a 2-2 slider on his final pitch.

"I knew I could have run him out there another inning, but with a rested bullpen there was no need," Roberts said. "The stuff didn't fall off at all. If anything, he got stronger as the game went along."

Entering the game, the Dodgers were playing at a .704 clip that has them on pace for 114 wins. Yet Darvish became the team's ninth different starting pitcher. With Clayton Kershaw and Brandon McCarthy on the disabled list, and Julio Urias out for the season, adding Darvish provides more depth to the already stellar rotation.

A couple days ago, Darvish expressed his desire simply to fit into a team having so much success.

"It's an honor to be here and play for such a good team having such a great season," he told reporters. "Obviously, this is my first time being traded in the middle of a season so I was worried if I could blend into the clubhouse and everything."

Veteran starter Rich Hill said that won't be a problem.

"He's only been here two or three days, but we've already seen how hard he works," Hill said before the game.

Darvish had struggled of late with the Rangers, with a 5.81 ERA over his past eight starts, including a career-worst 10-run outing in his final start with the Rangers on July 26 against the Marlins. There were reports after that game that Darvish may have been tipping his pitches, something he acknowledged (although the Marlins denied they were on to anything).

For now, Dodgers pitching coach Rick Honeycutt said he is refraining from giving any advice to his new right-hander. He certainly didn't need any Friday night.