Joe Musgrove last pitched for the San Diego Padres in late May, and the 2022 All-Star is working hard to return and help the team reach the postseason.
Musgrove is recovering from a right elbow injury but has managed to throw multiple times. Despite multiple stints on the injured list, which he admits have been challenging, the 31-year-old remains active in his recovery.
MLB.com reports that Musgrove threw his second bullpen session on July 20, incorporating breaking pitches for the first time. This session came three days after his first bullpen session, and he has reported no issues with his elbow. Musgrove is traveling with the team on its three-city road trip and plans to continue his bullpen sessions, gradually increasing their intensity. He began playing catch in late June after a month-long shutdown following his IL placement. Musgrove’s second IL stint this season was due to a bone spur causing inflammation and discomfort, for which he received a PRP injection and a cortisone shot.
Joe Musgrove aims to return amid Padres’ playoff push
Musgrove is targeting a return in late August. He acknowledges that while being on the injured list isn’t ideal, it allows him to be impactful during the crucial stretch of the season, as he explained to AJ Cassavell of MLB.com.
“Obviously, I never want to be on the IL,” Musgrove said. “You always try to manage it. But the decision to go on the IL was ultimately looking at where I could be the most impactful this season. And that’s down the stretch.”
The Padres, currently 52-50, are vying for a National League Wild Card spot. The rotation has been held down by Dylan Cease, Michael King, and Matt Waldron in the absence of Musgrove and Yu Darvish, who has been sidelined with a hamstring injury. Fernando Tatis Jr. is also making progress in his injury rehab.
Musgrove wasn’t in his usual elite form in his first 10 starts of the season, posting a 5.66 ERA across 49.1 innings. However, his return would significantly bolster San Diego’s rotation for the season’s home stretch. While the Padres are likely to make some trades, they might not need to add more starting pitching with Musgrove and Darvish set to return.
