Patience pays off for Yu Darvish in returning Justin Verlander's shade from 544 days ago

Yu Darvish has impeccable timing. All it took was some patience.

The moment fell into place Wednesday night during Game 2 of the World Series and 544 days of a clapback waiting in Darvish’s back pocket was released for the world to fall over laughing about.

In April 2018, Houston Astros pitcher Justin Verlander poked fun at the Chicago Cubs righty for a base-running blunder on a double up the right field line. When he turned second and looked back at the ball, he wiped out and Verlander made his move on Twitter.

“Not doing a lot here to help us dispel the pitchers aren’t athletes thing,” Verlander wrote.

It was good-natured fun that was returned with interest Wednesday night.

In the fourth inning of a tie game, Washington Nationals first baseman Ryan Zimmerman chopped a hit to the left side of the infield that Verlander dove (skidded?) for and attempted the out. Except he was on the grass and threw it into his own shin while Zimmerman ran through.

Darvish was ready.

“The first 75 percent of that play was pretty (expletive) athletic,” Verlander told USA Today. “The other 25 percent, not so much."

He replied to Darvish on Thursday with a laugh and “well played sir” on Twitter.

The night didn’t end well for Verlander, whose World Series ERA is now the fourth-highest in history. The Nationals torched the Astros in the seventh inning and went on to win, 12-3. Washington will take the 2-0 series lead back home to the District.

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