Joe Musgrove says he feels close enough to pitch in a game for the San Diego Padres. The problem is what happens after that.
That uncertainty has put his 2026 return in doubt, with neither Musgrove nor the team sure how his right arm would respond after his first MLB appearance since October 2024, when he had Tommy John surgery on his right elbow.
Manager Craig Stammen said the club is treating the situation as something that has to be watched day by day.
"Anything is on the table as far as recovery goes, and how often he pitches, and how much he pitches," Stammen told reporters. "So I think everything’s being reassessed on a daily basis. … think part of this process is just hopefully, like, keeping him going, keeping him pitching, keeping him throwing, and then hopefully that recovery timeline gets a little smaller."
Musgrove addressed the issue Friday in San Diego and made clear the challenge isn’t just getting through a start - it’s being able to bounce back afterward.
"Something about high-intensity throws is just not allowing me to play catch for a couple days," Musgrove said. "As good as I felt a couple starts ago, not necessarily in the same place.
I don’t think I’m a wrap for the year. We’re just trying to look at some different options of either shorter appearances or different theories.
I mean, really, I’m running out of answers."
The Padres are considering ways to limit the workload, including using Musgrove as a reliever or an opener. Even that, though, would still involve a trial-and-error process with no clean answer in sight.
Musgrove is under contract for this season and next at $20 million. When he’s been healthy, he’s justified the kind of belief San Diego showed when it gave him a five-year, $100 million extension in August 2022.
Since joining the Padres, the El Cajon native is 37-24 with a 3.20 ERA in 98 games, 97 of them starts. He has also made four postseason starts in that stretch, a total topped by only three pitchers in franchise history.
If he can get back for another postseason appearance - even in a limited role - Stammen said the club would welcome it.
“What we’re hoping to find out is, is it throwing in general or is it the volume of throwing that’s causing the problems?" Musgrove said.
"I felt very similar throughout the course of all these games. I felt pretty good.
My stuff shows. I’ve been in the zone throwing strikes.
Good velocity on my pitches. Commanded them all.
Just something about the day after has been to the point where I just can’t pick up a ball to throw.”
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