Joe Musgrove Injury Update: Tommy John Surgery and Padres Return

Musgrove’s return is particularly significant because his recovery from Tommy John surgery did not follow the original expected path. He missed the entire 2025 season and then missed the entire 2026 regular season after experiencing setbacks during his rehabilitation. The Padres nevertheless decided that his recent throwing progress was enough to give him a place on their postseason pitching staff.

The important distinction is that Musgrove is returning as a potential relief pitcher, rather than immediately returning to the starting rotation. He has not made a major-league appearance since October 2, 2024, and the Padres have not indicated that he is ready for a normal starter’s workload.

Latest Joe Musgrove Injury Update

September 30, 2026: Joe Musgrove is officially on the San Diego Padres’ postseason roster for the National League Wild Card Series. San Diego added him after his nearly two-year absence caused by a right-elbow injury, Tommy John surgery and subsequent rehabilitation setbacks.

The Padres’ decision came after Musgrove threw in instructional-league games during September. The club reportedly liked what it saw from those outings enough to select him for the 26-man Wild Card roster. His inclusion came ahead of several other pitching options who were left off the postseason group.

Associated Press reporting says Musgrove made four minor-league rehabilitation appearances in August but continued to have difficulty recovering after outings. That recovery issue was one reason his 2026 return was delayed.

He is therefore not being treated as a fully restored rotation starter. The Padres have shifted their expectations toward a possible short relief appearance, where his workload can be more carefully managed. World Baseball Network reported that general manager A.J. Preller said Musgrove’s velocity and pitch characteristics looked good during his recent work.

What Injury Did Joe Musgrove Have?

Musgrove suffered a significant injury to the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. The injury eventually required Tommy John surgery, a procedure commonly used to reconstruct a damaged UCL in baseball pitchers.

The injury became a major issue during the Padres’ 2024 postseason. Musgrove started a Wild Card game against the Atlanta Braves on October 2, 2024, but left after 3⅔ innings because of right-elbow tightness. Further examination eventually led to the decision to undergo surgery.

Tommy John surgery ended his 2024 campaign and kept him out for the entire 2025 season. Although he initially worked toward returning during 2026, the recovery took longer than expected and prevented him from pitching for San Diego during the regular season.

When Did Joe Musgrove Have Tommy John Surgery?

Joe Musgrove underwent Tommy John surgery in October 2024. AP reporting states that the procedure took place after he left the 2024 Wild Card Series because of right-elbow trouble.

The surgery meant that Musgrove would miss the 2025 season. His rehabilitation then extended into 2026, when additional recovery problems prevented him from returning to the Padres’ regular-season rotation.

The lengthy absence explains why his current postseason roster spot is unusual. Musgrove has not simply returned after a short injured-list stay; he is attempting to pitch in the major leagues again after almost two complete seasons away.

Why Did Joe Musgrove Miss the Entire 2026 Season?

Musgrove’s recovery progressed more slowly than expected. After missing 2025 following surgery, he continued working toward a return during 2026, but the Padres were unable to get him back into the major-league rotation before the end of the regular season.

He eventually began making rehabilitation appearances in the minor leagues. His final reported rehab appearance came on August 27, when he pitched five innings for Triple-A El Paso and allowed one run. However, he did not recover as well as the Padres wanted following the outing.

That recovery problem was important because a pitcher returning from elbow reconstruction has to be monitored not only during games but also in the days after throwing. Musgrove’s difficulty recovering contributed to the uncertainty surrounding his possible return.

How Did Joe Musgrove Get Back on the Padres’ Postseason Roster?

After his minor-league rehabilitation work, Musgrove continued throwing in instructional-league games. Those recent outings apparently provided enough encouragement for the Padres to place him on their Wild Card roster.

The roster move became official on September 29. To make room for Musgrove on the 40-man roster, San Diego placed catcher Rodolfo Durán on the 60-day injured list with an unspecified injury.

Musgrove was one of 11 pitchers selected for the Padres’ Wild Card roster. The club chose him over several other possible pitching options, including Randy Vásquez, Wandy Peralta, Casey Mize and Griffin Canning.

Will Joe Musgrove Start for the Padres?

There is no indication that Musgrove is being brought back to immediately start a postseason game. The Padres are instead expected to use him in a relief capacity if they decide he is ready to enter a game.

San Diego’s Wild Card rotation already includes established options. Michael King was scheduled to start Game 1 against the Cubs, while Nick Pivetta and Robbie Ray were among the leading candidates for subsequent games.

Using Musgrove out of the bullpen allows the Padres to control his workload more closely. After nearly two years away from MLB competition, the club does not have the same reason to expect him to handle the pitch count associated with a traditional postseason start.

What Did Joe Musgrove Say About His Recovery?

Musgrove acknowledged during his rehabilitation process that recovering between outings had remained difficult. That detail helps explain why the Padres did not simply activate him as soon as he was able to make minor-league appearances.

The goal throughout the rehabilitation process was not merely to get Musgrove back on a mound. The Padres also needed to determine whether his arm could tolerate the demands of competitive pitching and whether he could recover adequately afterward.

His recent instructional-league work appears to have provided the organization with enough positive information to make him part of the postseason roster, although his exact workload remains dependent on how he feels and how the Padres manage him during the series.

Joe Musgrove’s Last MLB Appearance

Musgrove’s most recent major-league appearance came on October 2, 2024, against the Atlanta Braves in the National League Wild Card Series. He started the game but left after 3⅔ innings because of right-elbow tightness.

That outing is significant because it was not an ordinary regular-season appearance. Musgrove was pitching in a postseason game for his hometown team when the elbow issue forced him out. The injury eventually resulted in surgery and a lengthy absence.

His next MLB appearance, whenever it occurs, will therefore mark his first major-league game since that 2024 postseason matchup.

Joe Musgrove Career Before the Injury

Before the elbow injury, Musgrove had established himself as an experienced major-league starter. Reuters reports that through nine seasons with the Houston Astros, Pittsburgh Pirates and Padres, he had a career record of 66-62 with a 3.73 ERA in 206 appearances, including 180 starts.

Musgrove became particularly important to San Diego after joining the Padres. He was selected to the All-Star team in 2022, and he had already built a reputation as one of the club’s established starting pitchers before the elbow problem interrupted his career.

He also has a unique connection to San Diego. Musgrove is a San Diego-area native and attended Grossmont High School in El Cajon, California. He was originally selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in the first round of the 2011 MLB Draft.

Joe Musgrove’s 2026 Return Timeline

Musgrove spent the 2026 season working through a rehabilitation program rather than pitching in the Padres’ regular-season rotation. His first meaningful game appearances came in the minor leagues during August.

He made four rehabilitation appearances in August. His final reported rehab outing came August 27 for Triple-A El Paso, when he threw five innings and allowed one run. His recovery afterward remained an issue, however, which prevented an immediate return to San Diego.

By September, Musgrove was throwing in instructional-league games. The Padres ultimately determined that the recent progress was sufficient to put him on their postseason roster.

What Role Could Joe Musgrove Have in the Playoffs?

The most realistic documented role for Musgrove at this stage is as a short-relief option. MLB postseason games can change quickly, and a healthy version of Musgrove could potentially provide the Padres with another experienced arm if the coaching staff decides to use him.

However, being on the roster does not guarantee that he will pitch. The Padres can evaluate his condition, the game situation and his recent workload before deciding whether to send him to the mound.

His inclusion itself is significant because it shows that the Padres believe his recent work has progressed far enough to make him available for postseason competition. The team is not relying on him as a conventional starter, but it has kept open the possibility of using him in a controlled role.

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Wrap-Up

Joe Musgrove’s latest injury update is more positive than the news surrounding his elbow earlier in his recovery. After Tommy John surgery, an entire missed season and a much slower-than-expected 2026 rehabilitation process, he has finally been placed on the Padres’ postseason roster.

That does not mean Musgrove is back to being the same full-time starter he was before his injury. His four minor-league rehab appearances did not produce a straightforward return, and he continued to experience difficulty recovering between outings. The Padres have therefore approached his comeback carefully.

The biggest change is his potential role. Rather than asking Musgrove to take the ball every fifth day, San Diego can use him as a possible short-relief option during the Wild Card Series. His recent instructional-league work gave the Padres enough confidence to put him on the roster, but his actual workload will depend on how the team evaluates him in the postseason environment.

For Musgrove, the roster move represents an important milestone after nearly two years away from MLB competition. His last major-league appearance ended with elbow trouble in the 2024 postseason; now, he has an opportunity to return to the mound for the same organization that he has represented since 2021.