Joe Musgrove was once a pillar of the San Diego Padres starting rotation, throwing 181 innings, notching a winning record and posting sub-3.75 FIPs in back-to-back-seasons.
Then the injury bug hit in 2023, limiting him to 97 innings due to right shoulder inflammation.
The 2024 season got off to rough start, as he allowed five earned runs in only 2.2 innings to the Los Angeles Dodgers. He made nine more starts, allowing a 5.36 FIP, before succumbing to injury once again, getting placed on the 60-day injured list with a bone spur in his right elbow.
Musgrove returned on August 12th and started nine games. He was excellent, posting a 10.19 K/9 and 2.59 FIP. And that’s with a game allowing six earned runs in 4.1 innings. He did not allow an earned run in five starts and gave up one, two and three earned runs in the other contests.
He was primed for the playoffs and bolster a starting pitching staff that consisted of Michael King, Dylan Cease and Yu Darvish.
Unfortunately, he left his Game 2 Wild Card Game start against the Atlanta Braves after 3.2 innings due to an elbow issue. On Friday, it was announced that Musgrove will now undergo Tommy John surgery.
It’s a tough blow, especially since the Los Angeles Dodgers are only -135 to win the series against the San Diego Padres, and Musgrove just pitched well against the Dodgers on September 26th, striking out six and allowing only two earned runs in 6.1 innings.
Dylan Cease will get the nod for Game 1 while Yu Darvish will start Game 2. Michael King was excellent on Tuesday in the win over the Braves, so he will get Game 3 on extra rest. If Musgrove was available, he could’ve started in Game 4, which would’ve given Cease five days rest before a potential Game 5. As it stands, Cease could pitch Game 4 on three days rest.
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