Padres Reliever Doesn't Want to Leave Team Because of Joe Musgrove

Joe Musgrove fell victim to Tommy John surgery in October, causing him to miss the majority of the San Diego Padres’ postseason run.

Musgrove’s elbow injury sidelined him from the end of May until Aug. 12. He was able to make nine starts in the regular season after his return, but the injury crept back up by the postseason.

Musgrove, who was the Padres’ Pitcher of the Year in 2021, only threw 3.2 innings in the Padres’ Wild Card series against the Atlanta Braves.

Although Musgrove is unable to contribute for San Diego on the mound this year, his presence in the clubhouse is invaluable for the Padres.

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Right-handed relief pitcher Jeremiah Estrada spoke about how he would miss Musgrove’s leadership if either pitcher were to join another team.

“Seeing the way Joe is as a teammate, the way he takes care of guys, the way he runs the team,” Estrada said to the San Diego Union-Tribune. “… I love this team. These are my brothers. If I was on another team, I’d be like, ‘It’s cool here, but I miss Joe.’”

The Padres claimed Estrada off waivers in November 2023 after the first two seasons of his MLB career with the Chicago Cubs. Estrada’s spot in the bullpen was never secure with the Cubs.

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But, it was with the Padres that Estrada started to develop into an MLB-caliber reliever. Estrada made a career-high 62 appearances, where he posted career-highs with a 2.95 ERA and 94 strikeouts in 2024.

Musgrove had been on the Padres for three seasons before Estrada joined the team.

Injuries have been a major issue for Musgrove over the past two seasons. The right-hander was restricted to fewer than 20 starts in 2023 and 2024 as he dealt with shoulder capsule inflammation and then elbow inflammation.

Despite his battle with injuries, Estrada is just one of multiple Padres players to express the value of Musgrove’s leadership in the clubhouse.

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Musgrove reportedly wants to return to the mound by the postseason. But, regardless of his health status at the end of the season, his leadership will serve the Padres well in 2025.

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