CHICAGO _ After throwing 55 pitches in a bullpen session Saturday, Yu Darvish threw some shade at ESPN analyst Alex Rodriguez.
Darvish, whose first rehab stint was interrupted by elbow pain, said after Saturday's session he switched from treating the elbow to treating his spine about 10 days ago, and now feels "very optimistic" about his rehab.
"All my pitches, velocity-wise were at their highest and I was able to follow through with my arm motion," Darvish said though his interpreter. "Everything up until this point, there was a little bit of pain and discomfort involved, so I was just trying to see alternatives (in his treatment)."
The Cubs said Darvish had no back injury and was receiving normal back strengthening treatment. Either way, Darvish said the treatment of his back "could be a factor" in the improvement of his elbow.
The next step is unknown, though a simulated game is getting closer.
The Rodriguez controversy, meanwhile, continues to linger in the background. Rodriguez criticized Darvish on "Sunday Night Baseball" last week for being a "distraction" while rehabbing with the team, and claimed the Cubs pitcher was dictating his own rehab treatment.
"I mean, a guy to start a six-year contract with three of the worst months you could ever see," Rodriguez said. "I know he threw a 10-pitch bullpen, then a 16-pitch bullpen, and then he said his arm was hurting. It's gotten so bad around _ now they won't say this publicly _ but it's gotten so bad that they let him basically police and take control of his own rehab, which is scary, because they don't want to create anything that he can kind of push back against.
"So he'll let the team know when he's ready, which, let me just tell you what that means to a clubhouse. You lose respect quickly. And my concern for him _ because he's a great young talent _ is it may take two or three or four years and you may never get that back."
The Cubs pushed back against Rodriguez's criticism. Joe Maddon called it an "ambush" that was premeditated, while President Theo Epstein texted the analyst to voice his disgust with the comments, which he felt were an uncalled for attack on Darvish's reputation.
Epstein declined to comment on Rodriguez.
Darvish said he's texted with Epstein about the A-Rod controversy but hasn't spoken to his boss.
Has Darvish heard from Rodriguez?
"If he sends me a text message or something I'll keep it and maybe take a screenshot and then print it out and frame it just for a keepsake," he cracked.
When the reporters laughed at the interpretation of the sarcastic remark, Darvish grinned and said in English: "I'm not joking."
Rodriguez is scheduled to work on Aug. 12 at Wrigley when the Cubs and Nationals play a Sunday night game on ESPN.
