Joe Musgrove Made Huge Impact on Padres' Postseason Before He Even Threw a Pitch

The San Diego Padres added right-handed pitcher Joe Musgrove to their wild-card series roster against the Chicago Cubs.

It was a massive surprise, as it had been almost two years since Musgrove last pitched on an MLB mound.

Nonetheless, Musgrove made his long-awaited return in Game 1 on Tuesday, securing the final three outs to move San Diego one win away from the National League Division Series.

Even before he threw a pitch, though, his impact was felt by the entire Padres clubhouse.

"It brings so much energy to the ball club," said Fernando Tatis Jr., who hit a leadoff home run on Tuesday night. "Everybody knows how he goes about his business and how he takes care of himself and the challenge that he has been through, and being able to have success on his life and bouncing back and feeling healthy has just gave the boys way more energy.

"If somebody can do it in that style, it's definitely that guy."

Added president of baseball operations A.J. Preller: "I think everybody knows the time that Joe puts into it. Last time we saw him in that '24 playoffs, I don't think any of us thought the next time we'd see him potentially was in this year's playoffs."

Preller also predicted Musgrove would bring plenty of excitement to the team and fans once he took the mound in these playoffs. It's safe to say he was right.

"Again, it's going to be, I think for everybody, everybody is going to be super happy for him and understands — they've seen it every day, the work that he puts in," Preller said before Tuesday's game. "It will be like any postseason moment running into a game—- I never did it, but I'm sure it's insane for you to come in and enjoy that moment for Joe. It will be extra special for everybody on the bench and in the clubhouse and the fans. I know it's going to be extra special. Looking forward to it hopefully in a winning spot."

For the first time since Oct. 2, 2024, Joe Musgrove is on the mound at Petco Park.

What a moment for Musgrove. What a moment for the Padres.

Goosebumps. pic.twitter.com/iKOhTAjUJC
— Padres On SI (@PadresOnSI) September 30, 2026

Musgrove came out of the bullpen to a standing ovation in the top of the ninth inning of Tuesday's game. He struck out the first batter he faced, got in a little bit of trouble, and then got a popout and another strikeout to secure the 1-0 series lead.

"Honestly just seeing him grind is inspirational to all of us," Michael King said of Musgrove. "He's probably the hardest working guy I've ever played with, and he's out there doing it for two straight years without being able to compete, and I think that's really hard to keep a level head throughout it. That definitely translates to the rest of the staff."

How Long Has it Been Since Joe Musgrove Pitched?

Before Tuesday, Musgrove last pitched in a major league game on Oct. 2, 2024 in the wild-card series against the Atlanta Braves.

He missed the entire 2025 season recovering from Tommy John surgery. He then suffered multiple setbacks during his rehab in 2026.

However, that's a thing of the past now, as Musgrove will look to help the Padres in what they hope is a deep playoff run.

One game in, he's already done his part.

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