SURPRISE, Ariz. - The game has been over for 45 minutes. The Chicago Cubs' bus left 15 minutes ago. The regulars who played and exited in the middle innings are about to roll back into Mesa. Or, knowing Phoenix traffic, at least on the outskirts of Tempe.

Yu Darvish, though, is in the Rangers clubhouse.

He is hugging pitching coach Doug Brocail and telling him how much he misses him. GM Jon Daniels and the clubhouse attendants have been chatting with him. Now, he is laughing with Shin-Soo Choo, then accidentally knocks over Choo's stash of bats, leading Elvis Andrus to yell "in the box!" It signifies a Kangaroo Court fine. It was one of the first phrases Darvish learned when he joined the Rangers in 2012. He loves the Kangaroo Court.

The give-and-take seems so natural, so fitting and so appropriate. It seems like they were teammates forever. It seems like they should be teammates forever. All it really is, though, is a reminder of the Rangers' new direction.

Whatever that may be.

"He's in a Cubs uniform and there is nothing I can do about that," Andrus said Thursday morning. "I was praying for him to come back. I believe he wanted to come back. I texted him about coming back. I wanted to let him know we wanted him back. I also know there is a line and I didn't want to cross that line."

When the Rangers landed Darvish after the 2011, after Jon Daniels and his stuff implored ownership to take a big bold leap, he appeared to be the crowning achievement in an overhaul that was going to lead to a dynasty to last a decade. It had come after back-to-back World Series appearances. The minor league system was considered the best in the majors. They were plundering the international market. It was the Rangers' world, everybody else was just living in it.

Now? Darvish is in Chicago on a six-year, $126 million deal that is only $15 million more than the Rangers invested seven years ago. All things considered, not a ton of appreciation for the value of the guy considered the best pitcher on the market. The world champs are from Texas and looking at a dynasty, but they call Houston home. The Rangers minor league system is at least two years away from producing big league pitching. And when there was a Japanese superstar to sign this winter, the Rangers found themselves surprise losers to the division rival Los Angeles Angels.

The world has changed for the Rangers.

It's hard to say why the Darvish-Rangers separation became permanent. There are some things that make sense. For example, the Rangers don't hand out long-term contracts to free agent pitchers, particularly those over 30. Darvish, though he looks even fitter than usual, will turn 32 in July.

There are some things that don't add up, either. That was evident again Thursday. The Rangers desperately needed pitching help this winter. Darvish, who has made his offseason home in Dallas, was available and very interested in returning. You should know this about how much he likes Dallas: Two days before Christmas, Darvish and his family were happily strolling through North Park, braving the last-dash shopping rush without a care in the world because, well, they just liked being there.

While the Rangers stayed in contact right up until the week or so before he signed with the Cubs in early February, the Rangers talked only parameters and not very enticing ones at that. They were more in the four-year range and seeking to keep the annual value below $18 million. Financially, it didn't add up.

So on Wednesday, Darvish was pitching six innings of three-hit shutout baseball while striking out seven and walking none. The Rangers starter was Matt Moore, one of their offseason acquisitions. He did not get an out in the third inning. The starter on Tuesday was Doug Fister, another of their offseason acquisitions. He got only one out in the third inning. Together, they combined to allow 18 hits and 12 runs. The Rangers have invested short-term deals in a number of veterans hoping to fill big holes via quantity.

"It's not really optimum," Banister allowed of the last two days performance, while saying the Rangers are still moving forward.

Darvish also was trying to move forward. He cast the Rangers' offseason decision as what it was, strictly business.

"I did meetings with them, as I did with all the teams," he said. "But it seemed like the probability was lower with them. It doesn't necessarily mean that I don't want to go back, but the chances were just lower there."

He didn't sound wistful. He didn't sound ambivalent. He just sounded kind of resigned. Baseball is a business, after all. He's with the Cubs now.

But Darvish had an identity with the Rangers, a mystical identity, perhaps, but an identity nonetheless. And the Rangers had one with him.

"You have clear visions of certain players in certain uniforms," Banister said. "I know what it says in front, but visually, that's how I'll always see him, in a Rangers uniform."

That, now, is a vision of the past.

As, it appears, for the time being, is the Rangers' identity.

Twitter: @Evan_P_Grant