Padres Announce Promising Update on Nick Pivetta, Joe Musgrove

The San Diego Padres could be getting some major reinforcements to the pitching staff in the coming weeks.

Both Joe Musgrove and Nick Pivetta have been progressing well, with the two pitchers scheduled to throw to hitters this week. After a long recovery process for the right-handers, there seems to be some light at the end of the tunnel.

After the pitchers throw to the hitters (likely multiple times), they will be sent out on rehab assignments. This would then put the right-handers on track to join the Padres' rotation in mid-to-late August, barring any future setbacks.

According to Padres insider Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune, people in the organization who have watched the two pitchers throw have been pleasantly optimistic about the progress.

The goal would be to have each starter build up to five innings, with manager Craig Stammen saying that the team is hoping for at least four rehab starts.

This is certainly encouraging for the Padres and could impact how the front office attacks the upcoming trade deadline. San Diego has been rumored to be looking at adding another starter, but with the two arms potentially coming back soon, priorities could be shifted elsewhere.

Nick Pivetta's Injury History

Pivetta was able to begin the year in the rotation, but he left his fourth start early due to an elbow injury. The right-hander was expected to be the ace of this staff after an impressive 2025 season that saw him sport a 2.87 ERA over 31 starts.

At first, it was unknown how long Pivetta would be out, but there weren't many who expected him to miss so much time. His injury recovery has been slow, with Pivetta growing frustrated with it all.

Assuming Pivetta can return with no issues, the Padres' rotation will be given a massive boost. The right-hander also has motivation to return before Aug. 22 to avoid potentially having his contract voided and losing $32 million.

Joe Musgrove's Injury History

Musgrove's season has been a tough one, with the right-hander suffering a setback during spring training. The veteran was expected to join the pitching staff this year after missing all of 2025 while recovering from Tommy John surgery.

The right-hander has been trying to battle back over the last few months, but at first, his elbow wasn't cooperating. There was some thought that Musgrove could require another surgery, but fortunately, this didn't come to fruition.

Musgrove has been reported to be a few weeks behind Pivetta in terms of recovery, but he's still expected to return this year.

Before the injury in 2024, Musgrove was one of the more consistent arms for the Padres, posting a 3.88 ERA over 19 starts.

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