Joe Musgrove

Musgrove is looking to return to the Padres rotation after missing all of the 2025 season following Tommy John surgery. Since Musgrove had surgery in October of 2024, it was assumed that the veteran would be ready for the start of the season, but he has only pitched in one exhibition game against Great Britain's World Baseball Classic team, and it doesn't appear that he will be ready for Opening Day. Stammen claims that Musgrove "still in a good spot. It's still something we knew was going to kind of happen and that we had to prepare for. And we've got his best interests in mind." All of that haze surrounding when he may be available makes it hard to draft Musgrove in redraft leagues unless you're in a league with multiple IL spots, since he will almost assuredly start the season on the injured list.

Musgrove (elbow) has had his workload eased back after pitching against Team Great Britain on March 4, and it's uncertain if he'll be ramped up in time for Opening Day, per MLB.com.

Slow-play the veteran

The Padres entered camp with Nick Pivetta, Michael King and Joe Musgrove penciled into the top three rotation spots. They felt reasonably confident that Randy V squez would claim the fourth starter role. They took a volume approach to the fifth starter job, signing a handful of veterans to cheap free agent deals. Musgrove is working back from a […]

The Padres entered camp with Nick Pivetta, Michael King and Joe Musgrove penciled into the top three rotation spots. They felt reasonably confident that Randy V squez would claim the fourth starter role. They took a volume approach to the fifth starter job, signing a handful of veterans to cheap free agent deals. Musgrove is working back from a […]