The San Diego Padres progressed to the National League Division Series, but they will have to cope without their ace Joe Musgrove for the rest of the postseason. The right-hander is headed for elbow reconstruction surgery after suffering a UCL injury during his start in Game 2 of the Wild Card Series against the Atlanta Braves this past Wednesday.
The news was received with groans of disappointment on social media by the Padres' faithful.
Musgrove threw 41 pitches over the course of 3.2 innings, giving up one earned run off one hit while notching four strikeouts before he was withdrawn from the game with an elbow strain. On Friday, the Padres' President of Baseball Operations, AJ Preller, said the starting pitcher damaged the UCL on his right arm and will undergo Tommy John surgery soon.
“I'm devastated about not being able to finish what we started,” Musgrove said via NBC San Diego. “It's just a matter of coming to grips with that this is it for me.
“I don't know when the surgery will be. I'd like to get it sooner rather than later,” he said. “I'm going to be supporting the hell out of these guys," he added.
Meanwhile, Padres fans expressed their thoughts at the news via X/Twitter:
"The dreaded news San Diego was fearing," posted one fan.
"That sucks," commented another.
"I absolutely hate that for him and for San Diego," one fan wrote.
The comments continued to pour in on X:
"Super unfortunate for him," one fan said.
"This is a major blow to the Padres' chances," wrote another fan.
"Hope for a speedy recovery," a fan added.
Making a complete recovery from Tommy John surgery usually takes 12 to 18 months. Therefore, Musgrove could potentially miss the entire 2025 season.
Injury-marred season for Joe Musgrove ends with Tommy John surgery
Joe Musgrove has been a reliable performer on the mound for the San Diego Padres since joining the team in 2021, but this was his least productive season. Musgrove got off to a shaky start after returning from a right shoulder capsule inflammation, which had brought a premature end to his 2023 campaign.
On June 1, Musgrove went back on the IL due to a right bone spur in his pitching elbow. The Padres later transferred him to the 60-day IL at the end of the month before he made his way back to the team on Aug. 12.
Eventually, Musgrove racked up 19 starts in the regular season, but he only pitched for 99.2 innings while posting a 6-5 record with a 3.88 ERA and 1.174 WHIP. The Padres had signed him to a five-year, $100 million extension a couple of years ago to keep him at San Diego until 2027.
The Padres face the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodgers Stadium in Game 1 of the NLDS on Saturday. Can the Padres get past Shohei Ohtani and Co. without Joe Musgrove? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.