World Series Game 7: Darvish postgame interview
Q. You've been working on your mechanics since August and all that changes that you've made, how did you feel about today's outing?
YU DARVISH: From the last outing I learned and I tried to make adjustments going towards today's outing. The last outing my breaking ball, especially slider, wasn't that good or sharp. So I was trying to make adjustments between outings. And today I was able to throw it for strikes, but it didn't get to the level that I wanted it to be, which is dominating.
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Q. Starting the Game 7, obviously it's a big game, but how did you feel about today's outing?
YU DARVISH: It's an honor to pitch in Game 7 and obviously there's only two pitchers this year. Unless you don't get to Game 7, there would be no pitchers throwing for Game 7. It was an honor, but obviously we wanted to win.
Q. Two games where you fell behind early, your team fell behind early, how disappointed are you that you were not able to help the Dodgers to win?
YU DARVISH: I didn't make adjustments or the stuff that I didn't have hurt. It hurt the team. But this pain is going to stay in me for a while. I've just got to learn from it and just go from there.
Q. George Springer had the lead-off double and then the home run, what makes him such a difficult matchup?
YU DARVISH: The first at-bat I threw that slider, and it wasn't as sharp as I'm used to. And then he's a good hitter, like when my slider is not that sharp, he's not going to make mistakes. In the second at-bat, that's why when Barnes called the slider, and I shook him off and threw the fastball.
Q. It's been three months since you joined the Dodgers and you were needed here, but how has your three months been?
YU DARVISH: It's been a lot, like, for the three month and I have nothing about the appreciation from my team and the teammates. And like I was able to pitch CS and the DS, and I was able to help the team win. But I couldn't do it in the World Series, and I wish I could have helped the team.
Q. Throughout your professional career this has been like the most hurt outing, especially like today and the last outing, but how do you see it, the struggle in the World Series?
YU DARVISH: I mean, there have been the games, kind of like this, but since I came to Major League Baseball, like last three years I've been struggling to re-find my passion for the baseball. And then I came here and I found it again. And I felt more that I can help the team to win. I started feeling more, and my passion came back and I couldn't do it. But at the same time I was able to set my goal for the next time by this experience.
Q. For pitching for the Game 7, I'm sure there was pressure and stress, anxious, whatever you felt emotionally. How was your mental going towards this game?
YU DARVISH: Mentally, I was more humble being named to be a starter for the Game 7. And physically I was feeling pretty good. But mentally I had like appreciation. If I didn't get the support that I've gotten from the people that I worked with, I wouldn't be here. So I was very appreciative of that going towards today's game, and that's what I had in my mind.
Q. You've been in the middle of controversy, how difficult was it for you to stay focused?
YU DARVISH: Are you talking about the incident with Gurriel?
Q. Yes.
YU DARVISH: What happened didn't affect me at all. It's just the first at-bat that Gurriel came up today, I just tried not to hit him and that's about it.
Q. It's nothing about today's game, but are you going into free agency this year. Like what would be the key things for you to think about when you decide to sign the next team?
YU DARVISH: I would like to come back in the World Series, and I want to pitch better. From this time's outing, I just want to come back and pitch better. It's tough, but personally I want to come back to the Dodgers.
Q. How do you get over the pain of something like this?
YU DARVISH: Most of the time, to anybody, it could happen, like the bad days and the good days. I had bad days, that means like somebody had a great day. I try to think of it that way, and sometimes it works. Maybe this time it didn't work because I let my teammates down.