As much as I try to avoid writing articles that are about myself, this is one of those occasions where the news is just too big to shy away from.

By now, every Dodger and baseball fan on the planet is aware that soon-to-be (on August 16) right-hander Yu Darvish is now a Dodger. The Habikino, Japan native and four-time All-Star (in five major league seasons) was not signed at the eleventh hour before Monday’s July 31 non-waiver trade deadline, he was signed at the eleventh hour and 45th minutes before the trade deadline.

Although the trade for the 6′-5″ / 220-pound former Texas Ranger cost the Dodgers top infield/outfield prospect and huge fan-favorite Willie Calhoun, Low Single-A right-hander A.J. Alexy and Low Single-A infielder Brendon Davis, it was very much the blockbuster-est trade of the 2017 non-waiver trade deadline.

Because Darvish last pitched for the Rangers on Wednesday, July 26 against the Miami Marlins (which did not go well), it was initially thought that he might make his Dodgers debut during the just-concluded three-game series against the Atlanta Braves at Sun Trust Field. However, on Tuesday afternoon it was announced that Darvish would instead make his Dodgers debut on Friday evening at Citi Field, when the Dodgers open a three-game weekend series with the New York Mets. This is where that ‘about me’ thing comes into play.

In April of 2010, my daughter moved to Brooklyn, New York after graduating from UC San Diego. As you might expect, she had her father’s passion for the Dodgers and absolutely none for the Mets (or Yankees). And while the separation of a father and his daughter is among the most painful things that any father will ever experience, it has given me a reason to visit her every year since.

As if by divine intervention, my visits always seem to coincide with the Dodgers being in New York to play the Mets. And get this. On two occasions I happened to be visiting my daughter while the Dodgers were in town to face the Yankees during interleague play. It is absolutely amazing how this always seems to happen.

During my visit to the Big Apple in 2012, 25-year-old Dodgers right-hander Josh Wall made his Dodgers and major league debut on July 22 against the Mets at Citi Field, albeit in relief. He ended up collecting the win in the 11th inning of the hard-fought 1-0 shutout. The Baton Rouge, Louisiana native would go on to make only 13 more relief appearances for the Dodgers before being traded to the Miami Marlins on July 6, 2013.

Josh Wall made his major league debut against the Mets at Citi Field on July 22, 2012.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

Two years later, on July 25, 2015, Dodgers 2010 first-round draft pick Zach Lee made his Dodgers and major league debut against the Mets at Citi Field. It did not end well for the then 23-year-old former LSU Tiger. In his dreadful MLB debut, Lee allowed seven runs on 11 hits while striking out three and walking one in his 4.2 innings of work. The Mets would go on to rout the Dodgers by a score of 15-2 in Lee’s MLB debut.

Zach Lee made his major league debut against the Mets at Citi Field on July 25, 2015. It did not end well. Ironically, it was Lee being traded to the Seattle Mariners in 2016 that brought current Dodger hero Chris Taylor to the team. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

On May 27, 2016, 19-year-old lefty phenom Julio Urias made his Dodgers and major league debut against the Mets at Citi Field. The hard-throwing Culiacan, Mexico native pitched only 2.2 innings, allowing three runs on five hits with three strikeouts and four walks. Because the young left-hander did not go the requisite five innings, he was not eligible for the win and, in fact, left the game with the Dodgers trailing 3-0. Urias would not figure in the decision, however, after the Dodgers rallied for four runs in the top of the ninth inning to tie the game at 5-5. Unfortunately, Dodgers right-handed reliever Pedro Baez allowed a home run to the first batter he faced in the bottom of the ninth – Mets slugger Curtis Granderson – to give the Mets the 6-5 walk-off win.

Left-handed phenom Julio Urias became the second youngest Dodger in franchise history to make his major league debut as a 19-year-old. He did so on May 27, 2016 against the Mets at Citi Field. Who was the first? Why fellow Mexican left-hander Fernando Valenzuela, although that was as a reliever.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

When Darvish takes the mound on Friday evening against the Mets at Citi Field, it will not be his MLB debut but it will be his Dodgers debut, thus making him the fourth Dodger pitcher that I will have personally witnessed make their Dodgers debut against the two-time (1969, 1986) former World Series champions. And while I am currently pushing a 1-1 record with one no-decision in my three previous witnessed Dodgers pitching debuts at Citi Field, Darvish brings a career mark of 52-39 and a career ERA of 3.42 into Flushing Meadows. That’s the good news. The bad news is that he is 0-0 with a 5.11 ERA in his two interleague starts against the Mets, which includes three home runs and three walks. He did, however, strike out 15 of the 49 Mets batters he faced in his combined 12.1 innings pitched against them.

New Dodger Yu Darvish threw his bullpen session with his new team on Wednesday afternoon in preparation for his Dodgers debut on Friday evening against the New York Mets at Citi Field. (Photo credit – Kevin C Cox)

Play ball!