SAN DIEGO -- The Padres' wild-card roster included a massive surprise: Joe Musgrove, the local ace who has not pitched in a game in two years.
Musgrove is one of 11 pitchers the Padres will carry into their best-of-three National League series against the Chicago Cubs, which begins with Game 1 on Tuesday night, and will presumably pitch out of the bullpen. Ethan Salas, the Padres' 20-year-old prospect, also made the roster as one of three catchers and will likely be behind the plate for Nick Pivetta in Game 2.
The last time Musgrove pitched in a game, it was Oct. 2, 2024. The 34-year-old right-hander underwent Tommy John surgery shortly thereafter and spent the ensuing season rehabbing. Musgrove's goal was to return for the start of 2026, but he continually suffered setbacks, to the point where it seemed all hope was lost.
Musgrove made four rehab appearances last month, the last of which saw him pitch five innings of one-run ball in Triple-A on Aug. 27. But he continued to struggle recovering from his outings. Days later, while speaking to reporters, Musgrove admitted: "I'm running out of answers."
But he continued to play catch and keep his arm active, and he was making appearances in instructional league games last week. The reports coming out of them were encouraging. The question was how his elbow was bouncing back.
Clearly, though, it's good enough to step on the mound with the Padres' season on the line.
