Padres' Joe Musgrove Has 4-Word Update on Potential Postseason Return

Sep 26, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; San Diego Padres starting pitcher Joe Musgrove (44) delivers to the plate in the first inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

After undergoing Tommy John surgery in October 2024, Joe Musgrove has missed the entirety of the 2025 season as he recovers and prepares to contribute in 2026.

However, as he works to get back into playing shape, there is a chance that the starting pitcher could find his way into the bullpen in the postseason.

While Musgrove is not on pace to be available by the Wild Card round, the nine-year veteran could be ready if the Padres are able to make it to the National League Division Series or potentially NLCS.

“I’m definitely still hoping,” Musgrove recently said.

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While Musgrove's highest priority is being fully healthy by the start of spring training in 2026, he and the team have hopes that he might be able to pitch out of the bullpen in the playoffs.

The pitcher did his first "up-down" this week at Citi Field, with a plan to throw 15 pitches, rest and then throw another 15 to simulate pitching multiple innings, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune's Kevin Acee.

"There are a lot of things going against me," Musgrove said. "... It's going to be a matter of us going far enough and me getting sharp enough."

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In his time away from the field, Musgrove has been dedicated to serving the San Diego community, earning a nomination for the Roberto Clemente Award, which is given annually to a player deemed to best embody baseball through sportsmanship, community involvement and the individual's contributions to his team.

Musgrove is involved with the Challenged Athletes Foundation and recently partnered with the Padres to build a playground at the Armed Services YMCA.

“It’s one of the things that I talked about with people in my inner circle and some of the people in the organization about the time away from the field and doing the most with it and trying to utilize it the right way,” Musgrove said. “So I really made more of an effort to get out in the community. During the season, it’s tough for some of these guys to get to the events. So I kind of took that upon myself to try to be more of a representative of the team and take some of the pressure off the pressure off the guys that are trying to play on a daily basis.”

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