Joe Musgrove - MLB News, Rumors, & Updates

Not yet cleared for mound work Musgrove (elbow) remains limited to playing catch during his throwing program and hasn't yet been cleared for bullpen sessions, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Impact Musgrove entered spring training with no limitations after completing his recovery from October 2024 Tommy John surgery, but he pitched in just one exhibition game before experiencing renewed soreness in his surgically repaired elbow. Though the fact that Musgrove hasn't been shut down from throwing since suffering his setback can be taken as an encouraging sign, the veteran right-hander is progressing slowly and is without an official timeline to make his season debut. At the very least, Musgrove will remain on the shelf through the end of April, and he'll have several checkpoints to hit in the recovery process before a potential return date comes into focus.

4 DAYS AGO • ROTOWIRE

Padres' Joe Musgrove Says Elbow 'Just Not Cooperating' Amid Recovery Things aren't looking very good for Padres pitcher Joe Musgrove in his injury return.

APRIL 11 • SI.COM

Vitello, Giants get 1st win by beating Padres 3-2 as Bader homers off Buehler

Harrison Bader connected against Walker Buehler for San Francisco’s first home run this season and the Giants held off the San Diego Padres 3-2 to give rookie manager Tony Vitello...

MARCH 31 • Associated Press

Doesn't have timeline for return Musgrove (elbow) has resumed playing catch, but he doesn't have a definitive timeline to rejoin the Padres' rotation, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union Tribune reports.

Impact Musgrove threw 60 pitches in an exhibition game against Great Britain on March 4, but he was subsequently pulled back from throwing and hasn't tossed from a mound since. Following the setback, the right-hander underwent a precautionary MRI, but the imaging didn't show any new concerns. Considering that he hasn't pitched in a big-league game since undergoing Tommy John surgery in October of 2024, Musgrove will almost certainly need to clear multiple hurdles -- including resuming bullpen sessions, throwing to live hitters and taking part in a minor-league rehab stint -- before San Diego activates him off the IL. Padres president of baseball operations A.J. Preller suggested this week that Musgrove's timeframe to make his season debut is hazy, saying, "We're not going to really know until he gets through days like today, where he starts to play catch and he puts some volume on what he's doing and he starts to build up innings and we're seeing the bounce-back. So it's not like next week he's coming back. But this isn't something either where we're talking about months. We'll know a lot more here over the course of the next week to 10 days, how he starts bouncing back from these early throwing sessions."

MARCH 29 • ROTOWIRE

Padres GM Preller says Yu Darvish went on restricted list to rehab from surgery at his own pace

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MARCH 26 • Associated Press

Lands on 15-day IL San Diego placed Musgrove (elbow) on the 15-day injured list Wednesday.

Impact Musgrove had an outside chance of making the Padres' Opening Day roster after sitting out for the entire 2025 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery that he underwent in October of 2024. His placement on the IL means he'll need more time to ramp up, and the earliest he can make his return to the majors is mid-April. Walker Buehler's contract was selected to the Padres' major-league roster in a corresponding move, and he will work out of the rotation for as long as Musgrove is sidelined.

MARCH 25 • ROTOWIRE

Padres pitcher Yu Darvish is starting season on restricted list while recovering from elbow surgery

Right-hander Yu Darvish began the season on the Padres’ restricted list while he recovers from elbow surgery

MARCH 25 • Associated Press

Padres reveal Joe Musgrove replacement in pivotal new rotation decision The Padres did not exactly choose the calm route here. With Joe Musgrove headed to the injured list to open the season, San Diego has decide...

MARCH 21 • FRIARSONBASE.COM

Joe Musgrove's status hands Padres an Opening Day headache they did not need The Padres can call Joe Musgrove’s latest delay a “pause,” and from their perspective that is probably the right way to frame it. He is work...

MARCH 17 • FRIARSONBASE.COM

Musgrove likely to open on injured list for Padres after missing last year because of elbow surgery

San Diego Padres starter Joe Musgrove is expected to open this season on the injured list

MARCH 16 • Associated Press

How Musgrove's likely IL stint affects Padres' rotation plans PEORIA, Ariz. -- Joe Musgrove will “most likely” begin the regular season on the injured list. That’s what Padres manager Craig Stammen said...

MARCH 16 • MLB.COM

Likely to open season on IL Manager Craig Stammen announced Monday that Musgrove (elbow) is expected to open the season on the 15-day injured list, Noah Camras of SI.com reports.

Impact Musgrove is working his way back from Tommy John surgery and has experienced a setback in his recovery after he threw 60 pitches in an exhibition against Team Great Britain two weeks ago. After missing the entirety of the 2025 campaign, Musgrove's return to the mound will have to wait. With Musgrove set to open the season on the IL, Walker Buehler is expected to begin the season in San Diego's rotation.

MARCH 16 • ROTOWIRE

Joe Musgrove development exposes worrying flaw in Padres' rotation plan Right-hander Joe Musgrove has been an incredibly reliable asset in the Padres' starting rotation since his arrival in 2021, as over the cour...

MARCH 14 • FRIARSONBASE.COM

With Musgrove in 'holding pattern,' Márquez eyes fresh start in San Diego PEORIA, Ariz. -- With each passing day, it’s looking more and more like Padres right-hander Joe Musgrove won’t be ready to go when San Diego...

MARCH 13 • MLB.COM

Uncertain for Opening Day Musgrove (elbow) has had his workload eased back after pitching against Team Great Britain on March 4, and it's uncertain if he'll be ramped up in time for Opening Day, per MLB.com...

Impact Musgrove's March 4 outing appeared to go well, as he sat at 94-95 mph with his fastball and threw 60 pitches. However, the team has since decided to slow-play the veteran hurler, who underwent Tommy John surgery in October of 2024 and missed all of last season. "Yeah I think he's day-to-day right now. We knew this was how it was gonna be with him coming back from injury -- it wasn't just gonna be a straight shot all the way through," manager Craig Stammen said of Musgrove on Tuesday, per Valentina Martinez of SI.com. "So giving him the ample amount of rest to get him a little bit of a breather and then we'll get him back out there." On Musgrove's status for Opening Day, Stammen added, "We'll see. We'll evaluate him every single day and then make a decision after that." Should Musgrove have to miss time early in the season, German Marquez, Walker Buehler and Kyle Hart, among others, are candidates to fill his spot in the rotation.

MARCH 12 • ROTOWIRE

Padres fans finally got the Joe Musgrove moment that makes it feel real again The delusional period is finally over. Joe Musgrove has pitched in an offical game. Following Musgrove's Tommy John surgery that kept him of...

MARCH 6 • FRIARSONBASE.COM

Shows good velocity in exhibition Musgrove completed two innings in an exhibition game against Team Great Britain on Wednesday, allowing one run on five hits and one walk while striking out three batters.

Impact Musgrove's outing was his first game action since he underwent Tommy John surgery in October of 2024. The veteran hurler had a rough beginning, giving up a run on three singles and a walk while retiring just one batter before being pulled, but a couple of the hits came on rough defensive plays and -- more importantly -- Musgrove sat at 94-95 mph on his fastball, per AJ Cassavell of MLB.com. Under exhibition rules, the right-hander returned for the second frame and retired three of the four batters he faced and then set down two of three hitters in the third inning before exiting for good. Altogether, Musgrove threw a hearty 60 pitches (36 strikes), which is certainly promising for a pitcher coming off such a long absence. He's slated to be a key part of San Diego's rotation in 2026 and isn't expected to have strict workload limitations.

MARCH 5 • ROTOWIRE

Musgrove's return to the mound 'another step' toward regaining old form PEORIA, Ariz. -- Joe Musgrove returned to the mound for the Padres’ exhibition against Team Great Britain on Wednesday -- the first time he’...

MARCH 4 • MLB.COM

Starting exhibition game Wednesday Musgrove (elbow) will start Wednesday's exhibition game against Team Great Britain, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.

Impact It will be Musgrove's first appearance in a game setting since his October 2024 Tommy John surgery. The veteran right-hander has been throwing off the mound throughout Padres camp, most recently tossing three innings in a simulated game last week. Musgrove was sidelined for the entirety of the 2025 campaign, but he will not have strict workload limitations in 2026.

MARCH 2 • ROTOWIRE

Padres watch Joe Musgrove reach a reassuring rehab checkpoint that eases a real fear The Padres didn’t need Joe Musgrove to light up a radar gun in late February. They needed something way more specific, and way more honest....

FEBRUARY 27 • FRIARSONBASE.COM

Sharp in simulated game Musgrove (elbow) touched 95 mph with his fastball in a three-inning simulated game Thursday, Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Impact Working his way back from Tommy John surgery, Musgrove threw 36 pitches in the outing and was pleased with how things went, saying afterward that, "I'm coming out of this feeling the best I have felt." The veteran righty said that things are "kind of all day-to-day" with his rehab based on how he feels, but he expects to make his first Cactus League start next week. Musgrove missed all of the 2025 season but will not have a strict workload limit in 2026, with Padres pitching coach Ruben Niebla saying their approach with the 33-year-old is, "full-go but watch him."

FEBRUARY 26 • ROTOWIRE

Full-go in Padres camp Musgrove (elbow) is considered a full participant in Padres camp but will have his workload watched early in the season after missing the entirety of the 2025 campaign, Kevin Acee...

Impact Musgrove is coming back from Tommy John surgery but will not have a strict innings limit in 2026 in his age-33 season. The Padres will be sensible about how hard they push him early on, however, and an initial six-man rotation is one avenue they're considering. Musgrove boasts a 3.20 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 25.5 percent strikeout rate and 6.1 percent walk rate in his four seasons with the Padres.

FEBRUARY 18 • ROTOWIRE

RHP Walker Buehler signs with Padres after a long career with the NL West rival Dodgers

Right-hander Walker Buehler has signed with the San Diego Padres after spending the first eight seasons of his career with the archrival Los Angeles Dodgers

FEBRUARY 17 • Associated Press

Padres sign ex-Phillies slugger Nick Castellanos, pitchers Canning and Márquez, AP source says

The San Diego Padres have agreed to terms with outfielder Nick Castellanos and right-handers Griffin Canning and Germán Márquez, a person with knowledge of the deals told The Assoc...

FEBRUARY 15 • Associated Press

Padres Spring Training Update: Craig Stammen names closer, Joe Musgrove's ramp up, Andujar's role Craig Stammen naming a closer this early shouldn’t be a surprise. When a former big leaguer like Stammen looks at what Mason Miller just did...

FEBRUARY 12 • FRIARSONBASE.COM

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