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The San Diego Padres announced news on Joe Musgrove

On Tuesday night, the San Diego Padres will continue their three-game series against the Philadelphia Phillies at Petco Park.

The Padres lost the series opener 3-0 as they failed to get any runs across despite multiple run scoring opportunities throughout the game.

Joe Musgrove Update

The San Diego Padres rotation has been missing right-handed pitcher Joe Musgrove since Game 2 of the National League Wild Card Series against the Atlanta Braves in 2024.

On that occasion, Musgrove started the contest but had to depart early as he suffered an elbow injury which later required surgery.

Prior to Monday’s loss against the Phillies, The Athletic’s Dennis Lin provided some encouraging news regarding Musgrove’s return. Lin announced that Musgrove will resume a throwing progression this week.

Lin wrote:

“The plan is to start slowly, with the veteran right-hander tossing plyo balls.

It’s the latest step in a process Musgrove and the San Diego Padres hope results in a return to major-league competition this summer.”

Regarding his recovery process and potential timeline, Joe Musgrove said, “Realistically, when you look at the time it’ll take for me to build up, probably right after the All-Star break. I’d love to get back sooner, but I don’t think innings-wise and time-wise there’s enough time there. I mean, I could come back in a relief role, I think, but they want me to start here, so I’m going to try to get everything where I can get built up to start in the second half.” Musgrove added, “I’m not holding myself to a deadline. The training staff’s not holding me to a deadline.”

Lin added:

“His history, along with the uncertainty of Tommy John recovery, helped explain why the Padres anticipated some bumps this year. Still, Musgrove’s absence has clouded the outlook for a pitching staff also missing Opening Day starter Nick Pivetta, who has not resumed throwing since he suffered an elbow flexor strain in April. Like Musgrove, Pivetta hopes to return in the second half.”

San Diego Padres Rotation

Despite missing Musgrove for the entire season, and opening day starter Nick Pivetta for most of the season, the Padres pitching staff has performed well. After Monday’s loss, the team has the 11th-best ERA in MLB at 3.84.

Griffin Canning, who has struggled since joining San Diego’s rotation, took the loss on Monday against the Phillies, but performed well in the loss. He held the Phillies to only one run during six innings, before being asked to come out in the seventh inning where he gave up a two-out two-run home run. Had the Padres taken the lead or tied up the contest prior to the seventh inning, it seems likely that manager Craig Stammen would have opted against extending Canning’s outing to another inning.

Additionally, Lucas Giolito has been a bright spot since joining the Padres rotation. Giolito has notched the win in each of his first two starts. While the return of Musgrove and Pivetta will undoubtedly improve the rotation, the Padres staff appears to be making it work with Giolito and Canning.