Yahoo Sports reporting that the Texas Rangers have won the rights to Japanese pitching phenom Yu Darvish. Major League Baseball has confirmed that the Texas Rangers were the highest bidder and that the Nippon Ham Fighters, Darvish's Japanese team, have accepted the bid.

The reports also say that the Rangers winning bid was $51.7 million, topping the Boston Red Sox record $51.1 million bid for Daisuke Matsuzaka. If Darvish and the Rangers do not agree to a contract in 30 days, Darvish returns to the Ham Fighters and they receive no money from Texas.

Darvish, 25, had an ERA of 1.44 and averaged 10.7 strikeouts last season for the Ham Fighters and he hasn't posted an ERA of 2.00 since 2007.

The Toronto Blue Jays were reportedly the only other high bidder for Darvish's services. The Chicago Cubs and New York Yankees also placed bids for Darvish.