San Diego Padres starting pitcher Joe Musgrove hasn't appeared in MLB since 2024, but made the team's Wild Card roster for their series against the Chicago Cubs. Musgrove, 33, last pitched in Game 2 of the Wild Card series back in 2024, undergoing Tommy John surgery after that postseason. He missed all of the 2025 season while rehabbing, aiming for an early return in the 2026 season.
In spring, though, Musgrove suffered a setback in his recovery, and the Padres shut him down once more. He made his most recent comeback in August, making four minor-league appearances as a starter between Class-A and Triple-A while posting a 4.60 ERA and striking out 13 batters in 15.2 innings pitched. He suffered a minor setback during that rehab stint as well, but seems game ready for the Padres' postseason run.
The Padres are yet to reveal whether he will immediately return to starting or begin his return in bulk relief. Musgrove joined the Padres ahead of the 2021 season, and was one of their best pitchers over his four years with the team. He has a 3.20 ERA through 98 games with the team—his best with any ball club—and made an All-Star team in 2022.
In his last season with the team, Musgrove had a 3.88 ERA through 99.2 innings pitched, striking out 101 batters. The right-hander pitched just one time in the 2024 postseason, only allowing one run through 3.2 innings pitched while striking out four betters. He also appeared three times in 2022, posting a 2.89 ERA through three starts.
If Musgrove can operate at the same level for the Padres during the postseason, he will be a key player for the team over the course of the next month. The Padres finished the postseason in the top Wild Card spot, giving them home field advantage for the first series of the postseason—a huge boost for the team given the atmosphere in Petco Park. Additionally, the team had an incredibly hot run of form after the All-Star break, winning 43 of their 66 games and seeing some of their biggest stars perform at the top of their ability over the course of the final few weeks of the season.
If they can maintain that kind of form, the Padres could very well find themselves in the NLDs to face the Milwaukee Brewers.
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