12:20 pm: Catcher Rodolfo Duran moved to the 60‑day IL, freeing a 40‑man slot for Musgrove. He’d been on the minor‑league IL since mid‑September, injury details still unknown.
11:46 am: Right‑hander Joe Musgrove is now on the Padres’ Wild Card roster, the club announced. He’ll be activated from the 60‑day IL, prompting a 40‑man move that San Diego has yet to make public.
Musgrove returns to a big‑league mound after almost exactly two years. His previous outing was also a Wild Card game, a 2024 series‑clincher against the Braves. An elbow issue after that led to Tommy John surgery.
After missing the entire 2025 season, his comeback hit several snags this year. In early September he grappled with arm fatigue, raising doubts about any 2025 return. His final rehab start came on Aug 27, where he tossed five innings of one‑run ball for Triple‑A El Paso but didn’t bounce back fully.
All four rehab outings saw Musgrove start, yet San Diego likely shifts him to the bullpen. Michael King will take the ball in Game 1 versus the Cubs. Nick Pivetta and Robbie Ray are front‑runners for Games 2 and 3, if needed. Walker Buehler logged 73 pitches Saturday and remains a later‑series option.
When fit, Musgrove has been a reliable arm in San Diego’s rotation, posting a low‑3.00 ERA over his first three seasons. Even with elbow woes in 2024 he posted a 3.88 ERA and over a strikeout per inning. Though his rehab lagged, the club noted his velocity improved to 94.4 mph on a four‑seamer across three Triple‑A outings, a modest rise from last year. For my money, Musgrove’s velocity jump signals a promising return. Will he stay healthy enough to pitch deep into the series?