Joe Musgrove’s return is finally starting to come into focus for the San Diego Padres.
After throwing his first rehab start earlier this week, the right-hander is set for another outing as he works his way back from a long recovery. The plan is for Musgrove to build up to at least four innings and somewhere in the neighborhood of 50-60 pitches. If that start goes cleanly, the Padres could be looking at the homestand beginning Aug. 21 as a possible target for his debut.
Even with that timeline taking shape, San Diego is not planning to force the issue. The club wants Musgrove to get all the time he needs before he’s back on a big league mound.
Musgrove has been sidelined all year after missing the entire 2025 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery. He was supposed to be back at the start of this season, but a setback in spring training pushed everything back again. The process has dragged on, but the finish line is at least visible now.
The Padres’ deadline moves also changed the picture. By bringing in right-handers Casey Mize and Robbie Ray, San Diego added rotation depth and eased some of the urgency around Musgrove’s return. Musgrove said the additions help, even if he’s still trying to beat the clock.
“Maybe mentally,” he said. “I don’t think it changes a whole lot with how I’m pushing to get back and the time frame I want to get back.
I want to be back as soon as possible, especially now that I’m feeling physically capable of it. I’m more enticing them to push me a little bit quicker.
But it provides a little bit of mental relief, I guess, that it’s not like we’re wearing our bullpen out every day, and now we’ve got some starters in there that can throw some innings and get some length out of it. Guys that have done it for a while.
So that part of it feels good.”
That depth could get even better if Musgrove and Nick Pivetta both make it back. Pivetta was also trending toward a similar return window before his first rehab start ended early because of an injury. The Padres believe they dodged a major issue there and have given him a few extra days to recover.
Pivetta was supposed to be the ace of the staff entering the season before going down in April, and both he and Musgrove are now in position to give Craig Stammen more options in the rotation for the stretch run.
Musgrove, for his part, is still focused on getting the reps he needs before the real pressure arrives.
“I’m still pushing to get back as soon as possible," Musgrove said. "I want to get as many reps and as many outings under my belt as I can before we get into that postseason push.”
In Other News...
Fernando Tatis Jr. Just Made An Off-Field Move Padres Fans Will Notice
Fernando Tatis Jr. has spent the second half of the season reminding the Padres why he remains such a central part of their future, with his power and run production ticking up at the right time. Under contract in San Diego through 2034, he is still very much tied to the franchise on the field, and his recent stretch has only reinforced how important he is to the clubs long-term plans.
Off the field, though, Tatis has made a move that fans will notice because it could raise his visibility well beyond the box score. His representation has shifted, a change that often opens the door to a bigger endorsement push and a larger public profile, even if it does not point to any unhappiness with the Padres or his current deal. [Read more 🡒]
Padres Playoff Push Hinges On Two Injury Timelines Still In Flux
The Padres have made enough progress in recent weeks to keep themselves in the thick of the playoff race, but the injury list still shapes the conversation around this team almost every day. Relief depth matters more now, and Adams right shoulder strain remains one of the more important situations to watch because he had been pointed toward a September return before the recovery hit a snag. Giolito is still working back from right elbow inflammation as well, while Taylor has begun ramping up baseball activities and could be nearing a rehab assignment.
The trickier holdup may be Andujar, whose fractured right wrist has kept him sidelined and away from baseball work for now. For a club trying to keep its momentum and protect every game in the standings, the timing of these returns could matter just as much as any trade-deadline addition, but the Padres are still waiting on clarity from several of their injured pieces before they can see the roster at full strength again. [Read more 🡒]
Austin Hays Gives Padres An Instant Boost Where They Needed It Most
The Padres did not have to wait long to see what Austin Hays might add to their lineup. Signed to bolster the roster, Hays announced himself in the most immediate way possible, launching a home run in his first plate appearance for San Diego and sending a quick reminder of why he has long been viewed as a useful bat, especially against left-handed pitching.
Hays debut shot came off Astros reliever Bryan King and left the bat at 99 mph, the kind of first impression that can change the tone around a new addition fast. The bigger question now is how San Diego pieces him into the outfield mix from here, because the appeal is not just one swing but the possibility that he can give the Padres the kind of matchup flexibility and lineup balance they have been looking for. [Read more 🡒]