ARLINGTON -- Now that his body is cooperating this season, Yu Darvish says he's having a lot more fun.

Just don't ask about Japan's latest baseball sensation anymore.

Only a day after he told the Dallas Morning News that Rangers general manager Jon Daniels "absolutely" should make a scouting trip to Japan to see Shohei Otani, the "Babe Ruth of Japanese baseball," Darvish clammed up Sunday.

"Please stay away from that question at this point," he told several reporters through an interpreter. "It's got nothing to do with me. Sorry."

Actually, the Rangers' interest in Otani has a lot to do with Darvish, who will be a free agent after this season. Daniels and Darvish's representatives reportedly have made little to no progress toward a new deal. The prospects of signing both Darvish and Otani also seem remote.

On a happier note, Darvish, who's 3-2 with a 2.96 ERA and 52 strikeouts in 51.2 innings, said it's a far different feeling from last season, his first since sitting out 2015 after Tommy John surgery. He was 7-5 with a 3.41 ERA in 17 starts in 2016.

"Last year, I couldn't afford to have fun," Darvish said. "I was so focused on my body. But this year, I feel physically pretty good, so I think that's why I can actually have fun right now, because my body feels good."

Twitter: @KSherringtonDMN