Padres' Joe Musgrove Explains Why He's Still Not Close to Return

The San Diego Padres have been without starting pitcher Joe Musgrove all season as he recovers from a setback suffered during spring training.

Musgrove missed the entire 2025 season following Tommy John surgery, and the veteran right-hander was expected to return at the start of this year. However, the setback with his elbow has led to multiple months of recovery, and Musgrove still remains sidelined with no clear timetable to return.

The Padres are hopeful that the right-hander can return after the All-Star break this season, but with elbow injuries, there are no guarantees. Musgrove recently opened up about the issue, explaining why he is still far away from getting back on the mound.

“If we were gonna bounce a ball, that bouncing of the elbow is where I get a lot of pain,” Musgrove said to the San Diego Union-Tribune. “And to be able to throw a ball with good intensity and be able to spin the ball and put the ball where I want location-wise, I need to be able to bounce the elbow and lock it out hard. That’s been the biggest struggle for me over the last couple months."

The two sides have decided to take his return process slowly, allowing him the opportunity to fully heal before he comes back. Musgrove has a long injury history in his career, so taking this route gives him the best chance to come back stronger.

The veteran wants to help the Padres go on a postseason run this season, but he can't do that unless he is at full strength. Musgrove understands that in order to not be a detriment to the Padres on the mound, he needs to be able to have full range of his abilities.

“I’ve been in this position without a lot of cartilage in there for years, so I know I can pitch with it how it is. I just got to get everything calmed down and get the bone healed up before we start banging on it again," Musgrove said.

Musgrove isn't the only starting pitcher out for the Padres, with right-hander Nick Pivetta also nursing an elbow injury. Both guys are expected back in the second half of the year, with Pivetta being a few weeks ahead in his recovery.

San Diego is also without Lucas Giolito, who recently got placed on the injured list with an elbow injury. Veteran Germán Márquez also remains out with forearm nerve inflammation, while Matt Waldron deals with a right brachialis muscle injury, leaving the Padres' rotation depth somewhat bare.

However, the team is expecting all these guys back at some point this season, and if they can return healthy, the Padres' starting rotation could be a strength down the stretch.

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