Joe Musgrove was placed on the 15-day injured list for the second time this season due to elbow issues initially labeled as inflammation. However, further examination via MRI revealed a bone spur, sidelining him for more than a minimum of two weeks. The Padres clarified that Musgrove will be completely shut down for a fortnight before potentially resuming light activity, but a full recovery and readiness for a minor league rehab assignment will likely take additional weeks. While surgery remains a possibility if rest doesn’t suffice, it’s not currently being considered. Despite receiving a platelet-rich plasma injection, Musgrove’s return isn’t expected before the second half of the season, with his rehabilitation dictating whether he’ll be back in action at Petco Park before the trade deadline.
In Musgrove’s absence, Dylan Cease, Michael King, and Matt Waldron are the rotation’s primary starters. Yu Darvish, also on the 15-day IL due to a groin strain, is expected to return relatively soon. San Diego has brought up Randy Vásquez and rookie Adam Mazur to fill the rotation gaps, with Vásquez starting with a 5.74 ERA and Mazur making his MLB debut. Jackson Wolf, with a 5.83 ERA in Triple-A, is the only other starter on the 40-man roster.
The Padres’ rotation has delivered average performances despite their fifth-ranking strikeout rate in MLB. Darvish, Cease, Waldron, and King have maintained solid strikeout numbers but allowed between three and four earned runs per nine innings. Musgrove, however, has struggled this season, pitching fewer than five innings per start with a 5.66 ERA, significantly below his usual standards during his tenure with the Padres.
