Latest Joe Musgrove Update Spells Bad News for Him Starting Season With Padres

We are less than two weeks away from the 2026 MLB season kicking off, and the San Diego Padres starting rotation still has a lot of questions around it. After losing ace Dylan Cease in free agency, San Diego has tried to build everything back up with multiple different options competing for spots.

But the team has received some bad news regarding right-hander Joe Musgrove and his recovery from Tommy John surgery. Padres manager Craig Stammen provided a new update on Musgrove, and it seems like the veteran may not be ready to go when San Diego kicks off the new season.

“Joe’s still in a little bit of a holding pattern, waiting to get over that hump, feel a little bit better before we start doing anything out on the field," Stammen said. "Still in a good spot, still something we knew was going to happen, had to prepare for. We got his best interests in mind. Just a little pause.”

With this in mind, the Padres may have to turn elsewhere for help to open the season. However, San Diego isn't panicking, and instead, the organization is looking to a realistic plan for Musgrove to return.

The last thing that the Padres want is for him to come back too early, only to reinjure himself again. Stammen even said that San Diego isn't going to rush Musgrove back before he feels fully ready to go.

“Probably the last thing we’re worried about is if he’s making the first turn in the rotation,” Stammen said. “In the perfect world he makes 35 starts for us — that’s not realistic. We’re just not rushing anything, being smart about it.”

The Padres are hoping to get Musgrove back soon, and if they can, he would be a major addition to the rotation. Musgrove has made an All-Star team in his MLB career, and he would likely be a front-line guy for this pitching staff.

“We want him pitching as much as we can this season, and to take a few breaks throughout the season, even spring training, is the best way we think that can happen," Stammen said.

Musgrove missed all of 2025 due to injury, but his 2024 season was a good one. The right-hander made 19 starts, posting an ERA of 3.88, working 99.2 innings for the Padres.

Who Takes Joe Musgrove Rotation Spot?

Where things currently stand, it seems like it's a battle between right-handers Germán Márquez and Walker Buehler for the back-end rotation spot. If Musgrove misses the start of the season, both pitchers will likely be in the rotation to start the season.

Márquez has looked very up-and-down, with him struggling in a start recently against the Kansas City Royals in spring training.

Márquez gave up six runs over 1.2 innings of work, striking out one and allowing four hits. This isn't the type of performance that will earn him any grace from this team, and he has an ERA of 12.15 in three starts this spring.

As for Buehler, he hasn't been that great either, but his numbers aren't quite as bad. In two starts for the Padres, Buehler has posted an ERA of 5.40.

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