Will Joe Musgrove Pitch for Padres This Year? AJ Preller Answers

San Diego Padres right-handed pitcher Joe Musgrove is yet to pitch for the team this season following an injury setback that he suffered during spring training.

Musgrove has been recovering from Tommy John surgery that forced him to miss the entire 2025 season, and the team was expecting to have him back to open the 2026 campaign.

At first, Musgrove tried to push through the injury during the spring, but eventually, he was shut down. He felt discomfort in his elbow after his one exhibition start in spring training, and he hasn't thrown off a mound since.

Musgrove's injury has been frustrating for all involved, and for now, he remains without a timeline to start a throwing progression. However, president of baseball operations AJ Preller made it clear that the team fully expects the right-hander to pitch this season.

"I know everybody wants to hear [Musgrove and right-hander Nick Pivetta are] on a rehab in Lake Elsinore tomorrow, but it's going to take some time for them to get back there. That doesn't mean that's not happening." Preller said on 97.3 The Fan.

"I've seen speculation that those guys or Joe is not going to be back this year. That's not the case at all. It just takes some time, and we're being conservative, making sure those guys feel good and they check every box when they come back."

.@BenAndWoods asked AJ Preller for the latest update on when we can expect to see Nick Pivetta and Joe Musgrove return to the Padres: pic.twitter.com/avRyjrEKWz
— 97.3 The Fan (@973TheFanSD) May 15, 2026

The latest update from the team was that Musgrove was getting treatment, but that he had not started throwing. The new timeline for his return seems to be sometime after the All-Star break, which is a stark difference from when he was originally expected to pitch this season.

For what it's worth, manager Craig Stammen was recently asked if Musgrove would return before the second half of the season. His response was telling.

“Honestly, I haven’t thought about that,” Stammen said. “You know, I don’t think Joe’s really thought about that either. He’s just focused on getting healthy, doing whatever he needs to do on a daily basis.”

The team will allow Musgrove plenty of time to fully heal, in part due to his long injury history. The last thing that San Diego wants is to rush the right-hander back, only to have him get hurt again and lose him for the year.

Musgrove isn't the only starter from the Padres to go down this year, as Nick Pivetta, Germán Márquez and Matt Waldron are all on the injured list. However, the team hasn't skipped a beat in the standings, as they're currently in first place in the National League West over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

But getting a player like Musgrove back down the stretch could provide this team with a real boost, and the hope is that he can help them out greatly. Musgrove is a former All-Star, and if he can come back healthy, the team will be very happy to welcome him back to the mound.

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