Joe Musgrove, a top arm for the San Diego Padres, will be unable to play for the rest of the postseason and likely beyond due to elbow tightness that required Tommy John surgery. The surgery almost certainly means he will miss the entire 2025 season as well. Musgrove has been dealing with injuries since the 2022 season, with his most recent being a bone spur in his right elbow that landed him on the IL. He returned to form, pitching to a 2.15 ERA in his final nine starts of the season, but was taken out of Game 2 of the NL Wild Card series due to elbow tightness.
Musgrove expressed devastation over not being able to finish the season due to his sudden and drastic injury. He mentioned that doctors had informed him over the summer that it was a matter of time before he would need surgery. Despite his absence, the Padres managed to defeat the Atlanta Braves in the NL Wild Card Series, leading them to their third NLDS since 2020. The Padres will now face their NL West rival Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS and Musgrove was expected to be an option to pitch Game 3 on extra rest.
The NLDS series between the Padres and Dodgers will begin on Saturday night in Los Angeles. Musgrove’s absence will be felt by the Padres as they face a tough opponent in the Dodgers. His injury comes at a crucial time in the postseason, leaving the Padres without one of their top arms. Musgrove’s performance this season showed significant improvements before being sidelined by elbow tightness, making his absence a blow to the team.
The Padres will now have to rely on their remaining pitchers to step up in Musgrove’s absence as they face the Dodgers in the NLDS. Musgrove’s injury highlights the physical toll that playing at the highest level of baseball can take on a player. Despite the setback, Musgrove remains optimistic about his future in the game and is focused on making a full recovery from his surgery. The Padres will have to adjust their pitching strategy for the remainder of the postseason without one of their key players, but their resilience and determination may help them overcome this challenge.
