Yu Darvish and Hisashi Iwakuma did not play in the MLB All-Star game

NEW YORK–Yu Darvish of the Texas Rangers and Hisashi Iwakuma of the Seattle Mariners are unable to play in the All-Star game, but the two are on hand at Citi Field to soak in the experience.

Darvish, at his second All-Star game in as many years, has a bad back and is on the disabled list for the Rangers, while Iwakuma started the final game of the first half and is ineligible to throw in his first Midsummer Classic.

Darvish said he wasn’t worried about not being able to get into the game, saying his focus was on doing some homework.

“For me, it doesn’t matter whether I can throw or not. The thing that’s important for me is being able to listen to what some of the other players have to say,” he said.

Iwakuma made no bones about his desire to play.

“I would love to play,” he said. “There are a number of great players here, so I’ll just watch them prepare and play and do my best to learn from them.”

via Darvish, Iwakuma on sidelines – The Japan News.