Joe Musgrove’s return picture has shifted again, and this time the Padres have reason to feel better about it heading into October.
The right-hander, who last pitched in the majors on Oct. 2, 2024 in the second wild-card game against the Atlanta Braves, has spent nearly two years away from San Diego’s mound work after Tommy John surgery and a lost 2025 season. His comeback had already been slowed by setbacks this spring, and for a while it looked like his first big league appearance back might keep slipping deeper into the calendar.
Now, though, Musgrove sounds more encouraged than he has in a long time.
“I don’t know if it’s the shorter outings or if we’ve finally reached a point where my arm is just feeling healthy,” Musgrove said. “I do feel the most optimistic I’ve felt at any time in the last two years.”
That optimism matters because the Padres have leaned hard on their bullpen, maybe more than any other team in MLB, and Musgrove may be trending toward an October role out of relief rather than a full starter’s workload. Earlier this week, he even raised the possibility that he still might not be fully recovered by the end of October. But the latest update points in a different direction, with the shorter outings apparently helping him build back toward a usable major league version of himself.
“I’ve been out a long time,” Musgrove said. "This team has gotten where they are without me.
I just want to be part of it. … Physically, I don’t feel like I need more time.
Throwing more, there’s a possibility for it to go sideways. I’m hoping for a wild-card opportunity.”
That kind of mindset fits a Padres team that has already shown plenty of fight this season. Fernando Tatis Jr. was homerless until May 30, then closed with 25 and hit .307 after the All-Star break. Manny Machado, meanwhile, put together one of the lowest batting averages of his career while also finishing with his most home runs in a season since 2023, with 30.
Resilience has become part of San Diego’s identity, and Musgrove is right in the middle of that story now. If he does end up emerging from the bullpen in October, it wouldn’t be a surprise if he gives the Padres exactly the kind of lift they’ve been waiting for.
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Before that bracketed reunion becomes real, the Cubs still have one regular-season game left against the Red Sox, a matchup moved to Tropicana Field because of weather. With the postseason already in view, both clubs are expected to take a cautious approach to roster usage, leaving one more awkward hurdle before the focus fully shifts to the playoffs. [Read more 🡒]
Padres Are Headed For A 2027 Roster Squeeze
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For a team trying to keep itself competitive while also managing its payroll and long-term depth, the challenge is deciding which names matter most to bring back and which departures it can absorb. San Diego will have to sort through starting pitching, bullpen pieces and position players with care, because every choice now seems to carry a little more weight. And with so many decisions stacked into the same offseason, the bigger squeeze may be coming later, when the bill for all this planning finally arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Padres Fans Will Notice Who Is Rising Next To Fernando Tatis Jr
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The bigger takeaway for San Diego is the company those two now keep, and the long runway ahead. Manny Machado, long one of the Padres most popular sellers, is no longer in the top 20, while Tatis and Merrill are both signed through 2034, giving the franchise two familiar faces to build around for years to come. For a team that has spent recent seasons trying to turn talent into staying power, the sales list offers a pretty clear snapshot of where the spotlight is settling next. [Read more 🡒]